Chi-en Shen and other leaders aim to inspire a new generation of women in cybersecurity through mentorship, resilience, and visibility at Black Hat USA 2025
At the age of 17, Chi-en (Ashley) Shen discovered her interest in cybersecurity after reading a book on hacking. It was an unusual aspiration for a young woman at the time, as the field was, and remains, largely male-dominated. Shen immersed herself in online war games, web exploitation, and forums dedicated to hacking in Taiwan. Her passion soon evolved into practice when she began volunteering at the HITCON security conference during her university years, gaining exposure to the industry and its community.
Shen’s professional journey began in graduate school when a colleague invited her to join his startup. Since then, her career has included stints at Mandiant and Google’s Threat Analysis Group before her current role as security research engineering technical leader at Cisco. Throughout, she has often been the only woman on her teams—a reality that persists in many parts of the cybersecurity world.
Despite some progress, women remain underrepresented in the sector. Shen, however, sees encouraging signs that the gender gap is slowly closing, thanks to new support structures and communities that empower women to enter and succeed in cybersecurity. In August, Shen will be among the panellists at the Black Hat USA 2025 conference in Las Vegas, participating in a session titled “Hacking the Status Quo: Tales From Leading Women in Cybersecurity”. The panel, a reprise of a successful discussion at Black Hat Asia, will feature fellow cybersecurity professionals Natalie Silvanovich and Maddie Stone, and be moderated by Vandana Verma, a member of the Black Hat USA review board.
Rather than focusing on the hurdles they’ve faced, the panel aims to spotlight the positive aspects of their journeys—key moments, supportive figures, and actionable insights. “We’re here to talk about the moments that mattered and the people who helped us along the way,” says Verma. “It’s about real-world advice and uplifting takeaways that linger beyond the conference.”
In her role at Cisco Talos, Shen leads efforts in proactive threat hunting, identifying emerging tactics and vulnerabilities before they escalate. She transforms her findings into insights for the wider cybersecurity community via the Talos research blog. For Shen, the role strikes the right balance between technical deep-dives and public knowledge-sharing—an intersection she finds especially rewarding.
Throughout her career, Shen has encountered remarks that, while intended as compliments, have reinforced outdated assumptions. Comments like “It’s impressive that you work in IT as a woman” may appear supportive but often carry the unintended message that women in tech must be exceptional to belong. Shen notes that such sentiments can create internal pressure to consistently overperform simply to validate one’s place.
To combat this, Shen has been proactive about building her confidence and mental resilience. She reads cybersecurity literature, listens to relevant podcasts, discusses her development with managers, and maintains a work-life balance through meditation. These efforts have enabled her to foster a sustainable mindset and better navigate the challenges of her field.
Shen is also committed to supporting the next generation of women in cybersecurity. She points to the growing visibility of women in the field and the expansion of inclusive initiatives—such as scholarship programmes, funded certification courses, and return-to-work schemes—as key drivers of change. Local meetups and dedicated conferences offer networking opportunities and mentoring platforms that were once far less accessible.
As part of the Black Hat panel, Shen and her colleagues will offer guidance to women entering the profession or considering a cybersecurity career. Her advice is to be confident in one’s perspective and not fear making mistakes. “Be bold with your questions,” she says. “Challenge assumptions. We all grow from our mistakes.”
The panellists hope their stories and advice will help build a more inclusive cybersecurity landscape—one where women no longer feel like exceptions but rather active, empowered contributors to the industry’s future.
