BENGALURU: Some of the most valuable industry conversations do not happen on a stage. They begin across a table, between people who may have known each other only through LinkedIn, professional groups or conference corridors.

That was the idea behind CloudSEK’s Women in Cybersecurity Open House, held on July 10, 2026, at Skyye, UB City, Bengaluru.

Nearly 150 women from across the cybersecurity ecosystem attended the gathering, including experienced security professionals, emerging practitioners, recent graduates, industry leaders and members of Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) India.

Rather than follow the format of a conventional cybersecurity conference, the Open House was designed as a space for people to meet, speak openly and build relationships. There were conversations about careers, technology, leadership, artificial intelligence and the challenges women continue to navigate in the industry. There was also laughter, group activities and even an opportunity to learn the hula hoop.

For CloudSEK, the evening was about more than hosting another industry event. It was about strengthening the community around cybersecurity and creating a space where women could learn from one another, support each other and form connections that continue long after the event.

Creating Space for Honest Conversations

Cybersecurity events are often built around packed agendas, formal presentations and carefully timed panel discussions. CloudSEK chose a different approach.

The Open House was created around a simple belief: meaningful professional relationships are more likely to grow when people are given the time and space to speak without formality.

Throughout the evening, senior security professionals exchanged experiences with younger practitioners and recent graduates. Conversations moved easily from technical developments and workplace challenges to career decisions, mentorship and the future of the industry.

For some participants, it was an opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces. For others, it was the first time they were meeting professionals they had previously interacted with only online.

The presence of WiCyS India members further strengthened the evening’s focus on community-led progress. Their participation reflected a shared commitment to making cybersecurity more inclusive and creating stronger networks for women entering and advancing within the field.

The gathering demonstrated that community building does not always require a formal programme. Sometimes, it starts by bringing the right people into the same room and allowing genuine conversations to take their course.

Rahul Sasi on CloudSEK’s Journey

CloudSEK CEO Rahul Sasi spoke about the company’s journey and its work in helping enterprises address an increasingly complex cybercrime landscape.

He shared how CloudSEK has evolved alongside changes in the threat environment, helping organisations identify emerging risks and respond before those risks develop into serious incidents.

His interaction with the participants also highlighted a larger shift in cybersecurity. Enterprises can no longer depend only on responding to attacks after they occur. As cybercriminals become faster and more sophisticated, organisations need better visibility into developing threats and the ability to act early.

The discussion gave attendees a closer understanding of CloudSEK’s approach to predictive cybersecurity and its efforts to help enterprises anticipate and defend against emerging cybercrime.

Understanding the AI Attack Surface

Artificial intelligence was another important part of the evening. Nithya Kurian of CloudSEK introduced AIVigil and spoke about how the company is helping organisations identify and address risks associated with the growing use of AI.

As enterprises adopt AI tools across departments and business functions, they are also creating new forms of exposure. At the same time, threat actors are using artificial intelligence to make cyberattacks faster, more scalable and increasingly convincing.

The conversation focused on the need for organisations to understand where AI is being used, identify potential security gaps and gain visibility into risks that may otherwise remain hidden.

The session positioned AI not only as a technology that can improve cybersecurity, but also as a rapidly expanding attack surface that enterprises must learn to secure.

For attendees, it was an opportunity to understand how emerging technologies are changing both sides of the cybersecurity equation and why security teams need to prepare for threats that may look very different from those they have handled in the past.

Extending the Community Beyond Cybersecurity

The evening’s most significant announcement took the idea of community beyond the technology industry.

Rahul Sasi announced that CloudSEK, together with Athena, is supporting a women’s football team comprising 16 young athletes. The initiative will provide the players with coaching, mentorship and the resources they need to pursue their sporting ambitions.

The programme also brings together 16 women leaders from the cybersecurity community, each of whom has volunteered to support and encourage the young players.

The idea is simple but meaningful. The mentors will celebrate the athletes’ victories, stand by them after losses and become part of the support system they need while chasing their goals.

The initiative emerged from CloudSEK’s effort to contribute to a cause outside cybersecurity while drawing on the strength of the community it has built within the industry.

Sixteen athletes have now been paired with 16 women from cybersecurity, connecting two different worlds through mentorship, encouragement and a shared belief in opportunity.

CloudSEK plans to document the team’s journey and share its progress over time. And, as Rahul Sasi noted, perhaps one of these young athletes may even go on to help win a World Cup someday.

The announcement captured the larger purpose of the Open House. Community is not only about building professional networks. It is also about using those networks to create opportunities for others.

Breaking the Ice, One Hula Hoop at a Time

The evening was not limited to conversations about careers and technology.

Participants took part in group activities and learned to hula hoop, bringing a lighter, more informal energy to the gathering.

These moments played an important role in the event. They helped people move beyond formal introductions, interact more freely and connect without the usual pressures of professional networking.

The result was an environment where conversations felt less transactional and relationships developed more naturally.

For an event centred on community, those lighter moments mattered. They made the room feel less like a corporate gathering and more like a group of people genuinely interested in knowing and supporting one another.

A Conversation the Industry Is Watching

The Open House brought together women from across the technology and cybersecurity ecosystem, including senior industry leaders, security professionals, budding researchers, developers, students and technology journalists. This mix of experience and perspectives gave the evening its character, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations between those shaping the industry today and those preparing to lead it tomorrow.

The gathering also showed that building a more diverse cybersecurity ecosystem is not the responsibility of one company or professional group alone. It requires participation from across the industry, with people coming together to share knowledge, create opportunities and support the next generation of women in technology.

The challenge is not merely to bring more women into cybersecurity, but to create environments where they can build careers, find mentors, share experiences and take on leadership roles.

Community-driven initiatives such as the Open House can help make that possible by creating networks that are accessible, practical and built around real human relationships.

Building a Community That Lasts

The success of the Bengaluru gathering was the result of months of planning and outreach by the CloudSEK team.

The guest list was deliberately built to include women at different stages of their careers. The format was kept open so that participants had the freedom to move between conversations, meet new people and spend time discussing the subjects that mattered to them.

By the end of the evening, contacts had been exchanged, introductions had turned into conversations, and conversations had begun developing into potential collaborations and mentorship opportunities.