Celebrating diversity & tackling insider threats in cybersecurity

This September, two significant themes intersect in the cybersecurity landscape: recognising the enduring challenge of insider threats and celebrating the contributions and advancement of women in the industry. As organisations mark National Insider Awareness Month and International Women in Cyber Day, key voices are underscoring both the technological and human dimensions shaping the sector's future.

Insider threats - a risk that many companies still struggle to manage - have once again surfaced as a top priority for security leaders. Mick McCluney, ANZ Field CTO at Trend Micro, warns that containing such threats requires more than conventional defences. "While most cybersecurity defences focus on keeping threats out, insider threats emerge from within," he explains. "Insiders have legitimate access, they know the systems and weaknesses – making them hard to detect."

McCluney advocates for the implementation of intelligent, automated tools that offer comprehensive visibility into internal risks. "Organisations can identify unusual behaviour from within, and ultimately prevent and respond to threats proactively and quickly before it leads to damage," he says. He also highlights the importance of employee awareness and education in reducing risk: "At Trend Micro, we've seen firsthand how awareness and insight are critical." The combination of technology and training, he asserts, is essential for a robust defence strategy, as training is equally valuable in educating employees on insider threats and how to deal with them

Meanwhile, the sector is also reflecting on its own evolution, particularly in terms of gender diversity and the pathways available to women in technology. Chey Tablizo, Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Trend Micro, says inclusivity is a deliberate process rather than an accident of culture. "Women's inclusion doesn't happen by chance – it happens by design," Tablizo affirms, outlining initiatives such as flexible working policies, unbiased mentorship, and clear career progression frameworks that support women to thrive. "When women's knowledge and expertise are amplified, we strengthen our workforce and make the entire cybersecurity ecosystem more resilient, adaptive, and innovative."

The leadership stories continue in Europe, where Susanne Hasse, Principal Solutions Architect at identity and access management specialist One Identity, reflects on a career marked by both challenges and progress. Speaking ahead of International Women in Cyber Day, Hasse recounts early experiences where her technical expertise was overlooked in favour of male colleagues. Such moments, she says, reinforced the value of resilience and authenticity. "Presence and persistence can shift perceptions. For me, Women in Cyber Day is about encouraging women to own their strengths, to speak up, and to help build environments where collaboration and diversity aren't just checkboxes, but everyday practices."

Hasse's view echoes recent calls across the industry to move beyond token diversity initiatives and embed equality into the fabric of business operations and culture. She credits visible female role models and a commitment to both empathy and teamwork as crucial to advancing women in security roles.

Grainne McKeever, Application Security Expert at Thales, adds further dimension to this discussion, stating, "Cybersecurity protects everyone, which is exactly why the sector needs a diverse talent pool." For McKeever, diversity of thought and background is not a luxury but a strategic necessity. At Thales, she champions "inclusive recruitment, flexible pathways into the profession, or amplifying women's voices at the levels where decisions are made." Looking to the future, McKeever calls for greater support for STEM education and mentorship from early years. "None of us succeed alone, and the women who are breaking barriers in cyber today are doing so because someone, at some point, opened a door for them."

For many in the field, International Women in Cyber Day is not just about recognition, but a call to action. As McKeever notes, "The women of today are shaping the future of cybersecurity, and the actions we take now will determine whether the next generation inherits an industry that truly reflects and protects the society it serves."

From advanced threat prevention to cultivating inclusive workplaces, the cybersecurity industry is being reshaped both from within and through the infusion of new voices and perspectives. As organisations invest in both innovation and diversity, the hope is that the sector will be better equipped to meet the challenges - and seize the opportunities - that define the digital future.