Ahead of Infosecurity Europe, (ISC)² and the Certified Information Security Institute (CIISec) have released a new guide to comprehensive language in cybersecurity.
This guide outlines the importance of inclusive terminology and language for developing a more inclusive cyber profession, and provides alternative vocabulary guides and general language guidance for cybersecurity professionals.
With the current cyber talent shortage of 3.4 million, a 65% increase in global cybersecurity talent is needed to effectively protect an organization’s critical assets. Organizations understand that they need to rethink how they hire, and that closing employee gaps requires addressing the lack of diversity and inclusion in the industry.
“To attract as many people as possible to the cybersecurity industry, we need to make sure that barriers to entry are removed,” said Dwan Jones, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at (ISC)².
“This means promoting a more inclusive environment, changing negative perceptions of cyber and enabling more people from diverse backgrounds to put themselves in the cyber profession. A blanket term alone cannot solve all of these problems, but it can help change work culture and avoid the alienation of people needed to close the workforce gap,” Jones added. .
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CIISec CEO Amanda Finch said: “The challenge lies in identifying, recruiting and appropriately supporting skilled employees from all backgrounds. will fall asleep completely undiscovered.”
She emphasized the “worst case scenario” where people with great potential end up working for bad guys who recognize and support their various needs.
“The industry must prevent this from happening by doing more to attract these future cybersecurity stars. It’s all about making sure we promote the more inclusive culture that the industry needs,” Finch added.
Thoughts on the language spoken by experts
Leading members of the cybersecurity industry participated in creating a document that provides general language guidance for cybersecurity professionals, providing key tips to keep in mind when writing code and documentation.
“Language can be something that can break us or hold us back, which is why we can use language to break down barriers,” said Sarah Armstrong-Smith, Chief Security Advisor at Microsoft. said.
Titania Group co-owner Nicola Whiting MBE says language doesn’t define us, but it shapes us and influences how others perceive us. I was. “Being proactive in choosing empowering words (indicating that you value and respect others) to show that you care about people’s values is not only good business, it is good human beings. It’s also sexual,” she said.
Finally, Nurul Zee Zulkifri, Business Efficiency and Employee Engagement Lead, Standard Chartered, added: Choose inclusive words that enable you to recognize, see, hear and appreciate others. “
Alternate Vocabulary Guide
Alternate vocabulary guides are organized into categories on race and ethnicity, gender and orientation, accessibility, military and criminal justice, and age. General language guidance provides important tips to keep in mind when writing code and documentation, including:
● Avoid using terms with a social history
● Avoid acronyms, idioms, and jargon
● Beware of perpetuating stereotypes and prejudices
● Use automatic accessibility checks and authoring tools
You can download the guide here. To learn more about (ISC)²’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and access available resources, please visit https://www.isc2.org/DEI.
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