Women in Cyber: The 80s Era

Today’s focus will be on the 80s era of computer science, a pivotal time for our field. The decade seemed to bring discoveries daily with the blossoming internet and the development of new programming language, it was the perfect time to enter the space.  

Dorothy Denning  

Dorothy Denning, a graduate of Purdue University, has been widely recognized for her pioneering efforts in information security. After earning her PhD, Denning’s career started here, at Purdue, as an assistant and then associate professor in the CS Department. She later became a computer scientist at SRI International and made waves in database security by helping engineer the first intrusion detection system.  

It is clear that Denning’s sights were set on academia. She left the corporate space in 1991, starting the position of academic chair at Georgetown University in the early 90s. Eventually she became a professor and director of the Georgetown Institute of Informational Assurance. Denning then went on to work for the Naval Postgraduate School as a professor in the Department of Defense Analysis.  

Apart from her impressive career in computer science and data security, Denning has also written a book titled Cryptography and Data Security. She also became the first president of the International Association for Cryptologic Research.  

Possibly some of her most important work has been her advocacy for cyber and information security. Throughout her career she testified for several congressional committees on the topic of intellectual property, cyber terrorism, and encryption policy. She is truly an expert in our field and has thankfully been recognized as such by the National Cyber Security Hall of Fame and Time Magazine. 

Rebecca Bace 

Rebecca Bace became an internationally recognized cybersecurity expert during her lengthy and impressive career. She worked in some of the most coveted and influential security positions in the world including President/DEO of Infidel, electronics engineer for the NSA and Chief Strategist of the Center for Forensics. Bace also worked for InQTel and Trident Capital where she helped develop security startups. She was also briefly a part of academia. In fact, we have Bace to thank for her work on CERIAS in its early stages here at Purdue. 

In 1983 when Bace began her career at NSA, she quickly got involved in security research. In a matter of years, she created the Computer Misuse and Anomaly Detection program which focused on threat detection on government computers. This program would later lead to the arrest of Kevin Mitnick, who we discussed during our cybercriminal series. 

Bace’s influence goes beyond her career. She was awarded the Nation Security Agency's Distinguished Leadership Award and has been inducted into the Cyber Security Hall of Fame. Bace’s story is so unique because of her commitment to the field during a time when women weren’t always welcomed. Her ripple effect on the cyber community has been felt for decades. Her memory is honored through the Rebecca Bace Pioneer Award for Defensive Security which will carry on her legacy for generations to come.  

Donna Dodson 

In 2020 Donna Dodson was awarded the Safety, Security and International Affairs Medal for her work as Chief Cybersecurity Advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Dodson has worked for NIST her entire career. In that time, she developed and published the first commercially available encryption standards along with numerous other guidelines to prevent cyberattacks on the government and other industries.  

Before retirement, Dodson made it to NISTs' highest technical rank of NIST Fellow. Her work on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework now helps organizations all over the world. Dodson also helped establish the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence which has helped provide business with secure their information is practical and long-lasting ways.  

So, why are women like Dodson, Bace and Denning so important? Because they have set a precedent for young women. Their success is tangible proof that there is room for women in cyber. Their accomplishments are inspiration for future generations, future innovators, and without these shining examples we would struggle to push the boundaries of what’s possible, lacking the guiding light of those who dared to dream, create, and lead.