The Diana Initiative 2022

The skills gap is one of the most pressing issues in cybersecurity, and, unfortunately, part of this problem comes from gatekeeping, unrealistic job requirements, discrimination, stereotyping and unimaginative thinking. Common problems in other male-dominated fields that require undoing decades of exclusion to solve. It’s incumbent upon all companies and communities in cybersecurity to champion inclusion and diversity for women and gender minorities, which puts The Diana Initiative and its audience at the heart of the solution.
In this presentation, we’ll discuss the origins of an online community of women hackers and how utilizing community and mentorship can remove barriers to inclusion for women, trans and nonbinary people, and others who identify as a gender minority. We’ll also discuss best practices and discuss lessons from the first six months of the program to help others interested in similar initiatives.  If you are interested in breaking into offensive security or just building an inclusive offensive security community, this session is for you!