People & Culture

When you sit with a woman who has quietly shaped the way nations think about cyber warfare, you don’t just hear about systems and exploits, you hear about grit, purpose, and community.

In a recent conversation with a former NSA senior executive, Commandant of the National Cryptologic University, ISSA Hall of Fame inductee, and Cybersecurity Woman Leader of the Year, I was reminded that the future of cyber isn’t only being written in code.

It’s being written in the stories and choices of women who decide to stay, lead, and bring others with them.

Dr. Diane M. Janosek appears in the documentary “Dawn of Cyber Warfare.” Our discussion moved from the mechanics of the film to the deeper question: what does it mean to be an international leader in cyber at this moment in history and how do we build a path for those who follow?

The Making of “Dawn of Cyber Warfare”: A Global, Human Story

The documentary taping took place at the Cyber Ranges facility in the Quantico/Stafford, Virginia area, a next-generation cyber range used to build and test cyber capabilities. The project came together through the collaboration between Dr. Paul D’Souza, Cyber Ranges, an advisor to the production, and an Italian production team “The Bold Stroke” that literally flew in to film on site – cameras, lights, and all across the Atlantic Ocean.

There was no script.

Instead, the producers asked open-ended questions, exploring how cyber warfare has evolved and how it shapes our world today. Our interviewee was one of the first people filmed, helping the team think through the themes and questions that would later shape the documentary.

What struck me is how much intentionality she brought to speaking publicly. As a former NSA senior executive, she:

• Used only previously approved talking points for any NSA-related content.
• Requested to review a pre-final cut of the film to ensure her content was accurate and appropriate.
• Saw that her segments remained intact in the final version, even as later in the final version the opening of the film shifted to a powerful “from cavemen to cyber” framing.

For female leader in cyber, that level of care, being precise, prepared, and still authentically yourself is deeply familiar to Dr. Janosek. She is always prepared and well-researched.

When Cyber Stopped Being “Technical” and Became Personal

When I asked her when she first realized cyber warfare would become a defining strategic threat not just a technical nuisance, she didn’t hesitate: about 20 years ago.

Back then, cyber was a niche discipline. Today, it touches everyone:

• Families dealing with identity theft.
• Individuals whose credit cards are repeatedly compromised.
• Communities exposed in large-scale data breaches.
• Governments and organizations facing constant nation-state and criminal campaigns.

Dr. Janosek believes that, especially in the last few years, something has changed in the global mindset. Cyber risk has moved from the margins to the mainstream. It has become part of everyday language. People may not understand every technical detail, but they know: this is real, and it can touch their lives.

Also , for women in cyber, this shift is both a burden and an opportunity. They are often the ones explaining risk to non-technical stakeholders ( and family members young and old), translating between the human and the technical, and carrying the emotional weight of “what happens if we’re breached?”

The work is no longer abstract it is profoundly human.

Ransomware as a Service: Organized Crime, Not Random Chaos

Our conversation turned to ransomware as a service and the troubling reality that some economies are now visibly fueled by scam centers and cybercrime.

Dr. Janosek emphasized that cybercrime today is:

• Structured like a business.
• Divided into specialized roles exploit developers, target selectors, social engineers, money movers.
• Distributed across borders, with layers of secrecy where one operator rarely sees the entire enterprise.

This is not random chaos. It’s organized crime at scale.

And that matters for professionals in cyber, because so many of us sit at the intersection of technology, risk, law, policy, and human behavior. We are often the ones advocating for a more holistic understanding of threat reminding our organizations that behind every “incident” is a well-organized ecosystem, not just a lone bad actor.

The Internet’s Original Sin: Anonymity by Design

In the documentary, an expert highlighted a foundational choice in how the internet was designed: the person behind the terminal does not have to identify themselves.

No driver’s license. No consistent identity. The ability to hold dozens of digital personas.

Our interviewee appreciated how clearly that point was made. The architecture of the internet intentionally favored openness and accessibility, and in doing so, created fertile ground for exploitation and abuse.

Women in cyber often see the consequences of this firsthand: in fraud, harassment, abuse, disinformation, sextortion, and the invisible emotional toll it takes on individuals and communities. We are not just defending systems; we are often defending people whose stories we carry long after the ticket is closed.

Recognition and Purpose

We talked about recognition, including her induction into the ISSA Hall of Fame. Dr. Janosek doesn’t know who nominated her. The award recognized the totality of her contributions:  leadership, education, government service, and community impact. It was, in her words, deeply touching.

When I asked what still needs to change for women in cyber to be recognized and to stay, Dr. Janosek was very clear:

1. Female representation – senior ranks – at the top is still thin.

When she looks at companies’ leadership pages, she often has to scroll several rows before she sees a woman that is not in HR or Marketing. The visual is powerful and discouraging. It silently suggests to female potential leaders, “You may be exceptional, but you will be rare. Do not give up.”

2. Retention is the real challenge.  

   Women are not just seeking professional success. They are seeking alignment between:

•   Professional achievement.
•   Personal meaning and mission.
•   The ability to mentor, to speak, to write, to shape. 
• Leave an impact.

When that alignment is missing and the ability to leave an impact is fleeting, women often choose to leave not because they lack grit, but because they are searching for a place where they can “be” whole.

Her view is that women in cyber need grit, yes but they also deserve systems that do not require them to fight, alone, for a seat at the table.

The Cyber Guild as a Safe Harbor for all: Community, Not Just Network

When I asked what guild-style communities like The Cyber Guild can do that formal institutions cannot, Dr. Janosek answered without hesitation: they create community.

In her words, without community:

• There is no motivation.
• There is no gravity.
• There is no momentum.
• There is no combined professional and personal satisfaction.

The Cyber Guild, and similar group, change that equation. They:

• Give members a sense of belonging in a field that can feel isolating.
• Create cross-sector and cross-regional connections that are based on shared mission, not just shared employer.
• Encourage collaboration over competition and celebration over jealousy.

For women who are tired of being “the only one in the room,” communities like Cyber Guild are not a nice-to-have.

They are a survival mechanism. They provide the reinforcement that says: you are not alone, and we want you here.

If “Dawn of Cyber Warfare” Moves You, Start with One Invitation

I asked her what someone should do if they watch “Dawn of Cyber Warfare” and feel compelled to do something meaningful with that knowledge.

Her answer was simple and profound: bring somebody with you to an event.

Not everyone belongs in cyber. But many women and men who would thrive in this field never see themselves in it because they are never invited in.

What you can do:

• Invite another to a Cyber Guild event.
• Introduce a student or early-career professional to someone in your network.
• Mentor one person who reminds you of yourself a few years ago.

Change happens one invitation at a time.

Looking Ahead: Be the Energy

If you are reading this, consider it your invitation:

Bring another with you.  

Join the community.  

Be the energy.

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