Sophos’ Rebecca Taylor: Building a community where women in cyber feel heard - SC Media

When Rebecca Taylor first entered cybersecurity, it wasn’t through the usual route.“What first drew me to cybersecurity, if I’m honest, was that it looked ‘cool’ and a space I could potentially ‘be someone,’” said Taylor, threat intelligence knowledge manager and researcher at Sophos. “I didn’t come into the field through the traditional technical route — my first role in the industry was actually as a personal assistant. But through mentoring, sponsorship, and a lot of on-the-job learning, I found my way into threat intelligence, where I work today.”Since joining Sophos in 2014, Taylor has worked across business operations, incident command, and research — culminating in a career recognized at the highest levels, most recently when she was named Cybersecurity Woman of the Year 2025.For Taylor, the defining accomplishment of her career has not been an award, tech deployment, or a publication, but a community project. The contribution she’s proudest of has been co-founding the Cyber Agony Aunts, a forum that has grown into a book, podcast, and training program, all designed to give women in cyber space to talk openly about their cyber careers, share challenges, and find support and community. “In past years, I often felt the loneliness of being the only woman in a cyber team,” said Taylor. “The Cyber Agony Aunts exist to make sure no one else feels that isolation — that everyone knows there are people like them, people who will listen, and a community that will stand with them.”That sense of belonging has been deeply felt. Taylor said the organization has gotten terrific feedback across the industry. People have reached out and told her they feel “more heard and seen” because of what the group has done over the years.“For me, that is the legacy I want to leave behind in cyber: not just research or recognition, but a more connected and inclusive community where nobody ever has to feel alone,” said Taylor. “Because I’ve had the privilege of working across so many parts of the cyber community, I try to lead with empathy above all else. You never truly know what someone is carrying with them — I know this personally, having gone through postnatal depression — and so empathy, understanding and flexibility are core to how I try to lead.”Taylor said her the biggest challenge hasn’t necessarily been about being a woman in security, but balancing her role as a mother and role model with building a career she’s genuinely passionate about. Taylor said she had to be very deliberate about creating boundaries and working towards a balance that works for both her and the family.Taylor’s mentorship and advocacy work reflect that same humanity. Over the last two years, Taylor has personally mentored more than 150 security pros. She feels strongly that she’s in a position of privilege and influence, and it’s her responsibility to give back, empower others, and help them navigate the sometimes isolating world of cybersecurity.Looking to the future, Taylor sees major changes ahead. She said the Online Safety Act in the UK will have a significant impact on how the industry approaches cybersecurity. Taylor said it will fuel many more conversations and proactive changes and awareness around online and cyber safety in schools and colleges.Taylor also predicts many more public and private efforts around cyber safety and online education for the broader public. Preparing for that shift will require ensuring people are informed and can spot cyber threats, while also empowering the courts and police to successfully convict those found committing cybercrime.“Cybercrime is a growing and pressured issue, so we need to ensure the public is equipped to protect themselves, their families and their communities,” concluded Taylor.