Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Security Guru, the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards aim to shed light on the remarkable women in our industry. The following is a feature on one of 2022’s Top 20 women selected by an esteemed panel of judges. Presented in a Q&A format, the nominee’s answers are written in their own words with minor edits made by the editor for readability and where relevant, supplemented with additional commentary by their nominator.
This year, the awards are sponsored by Beazley, BT, KPMG and KnowBe4.
Suparna Roy, Leader – Cyber Security Operations, TATA Advanced Systems Ltd.
What does your job role entail?
I have been leading the Cyber Defense Center and running the security operations, with a team of cybersecurity experts, leveraging cutting-edge technologies, and continuous process enhancements. I am in charge of keeping organisations secure and redefining processes to avoid organizations’ trending cyber risks.
How did you get into the cybersecurity industry?
I was fortunate to have stepped directly into the world of cybersecurity (popularly known as Information Security in those days) after completing my Bachelor’s in Engineering (Computer Science). I began in threat management and worked for a major endpoint security player at the time, assisting its customers in dealing with the most recent cyberattacks and staying secure.
Researching malware and its modus-operandi (modern-day TTPs) is what kept me on my toes. I was among the very few “Women in Black” in early 2000 engaged in creating a safer world.
Being a “Taekwondo Girl” in real life, I have been passionate about the fact that I am defending the world from bad actors (in the cyber world).
What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced as a woman in the tech/cyber industry and how did you overcome it?
When I started my career, our cybersecurity team & practice were filled with men. We were just four female employees in Threat Management Support in a team of 100+! A new job as a fresher, in a male-driven domain, and ignorance towards new female colleagues within the team was what made it challenging. Either I got too much attention or complete ignorance, which sometimes created a void or made it suffocating.
But the organisations I worked with believed in gender diversity, and things improved as the years passed, and I now find many more cyber women in the industry than what it used to be in the early 2000s.
What are your top three greatest accomplishments you have achieved during your career so far?
As a part of the Cyber Defense Operations that I have been running, I managed to Improved Fraud Intelligence for the 20+ leading banks in India that I have worked with on cyber fraud operations to date. We did holistic cyber fraud management for the banks, helping secure brand abuse by leveraging leading partners and organic intelligence, for which I have set up an in-house team.
Developed a platform for automating social engineering awareness, which has been beneficial for organizations to enhance human vulnerabilities, the weakest link in the cyber ecosystem.
I have mentored over 55+ cybersecurity consultants throughout my career, many of whom are shining stars in the cybersecurity industry. The success I see in these individuals makes me feel proud of their achievements.
What are you doing to support other women, and/or to increase diversity, in the tech/cyber industry?
I have been constantly bringing diversity to my team by hiring more deserving female candidates.
I have been mentoring/grooming passionate female cybersecurity professionals.
Sharing my personal experience in industry forums to motivate young women to join the cybersecurity industry.
What is one piece of advice you would give to girls/women looking to enter the cybersecurity industry?
Stay Motivated. Cybersecurity is one of the most happening industries. If you wish to be a superwoman and fight the bad elements out, there cannot be a better place to do so than in this world of cybersecurity.
