Ever since childhood, mathematics was always Alina Matyukhina’s favorite lesson at school in Ukraine, her birth country. As her skills and passion for mathematics continued growing, she received multiple awards and academic achievements, including a PhD in Computer Science at age 25 – focusing on software security and data privacy. But having always dreamt of solving real problems to help society, Alina wanted more. Now, this respected global cybersecurity expert may already have exceeded that dream.
As Head of Cybersecurity – for Siemens Smart Infrastructure, Building Automation – Alina’s at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation, handling cyber risk in the vitally important smart building sector. She’s responsible for ensuring that products and solutions for critical infrastructures and buildings worldwide meet the required cybersecurity standards while supporting the needs of users and stakeholders.
Described as a ‘rare, exceptional talent’ and an ‘inspiration to others’, accolades for Switzerland-based Alina highlight her contribution to making our world a safer place by protecting people’s livelihood and privacy on a global scale.
These include German business magazine Bilanz naming her a Digital Shaper in its Cybersecurity Guards category (2021); making Top Cyber News Magazine’s 40 under 40 Cybersecurity list; named one of the Top women in Tech in Switzerland to Follow (2022); and most recently, winning Women in Tech’s prestigious 2022 Global Leadership Award in Europe.
Now in cybersecurity for seven years, Alina’s journey in the sector started in 2015 – while working as an academic researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. It was there she discovered her ‘research in mathematics and number theory could be applied to solve security problems using encryption algorithms.’
Aside from Siemens, Alina is also Chair of the Smart Cities and infrastructure working group at the Swiss Cyber Institute, which aims to improve industrial digital security in Switzerland and globally. In addition, she’s a regular speaker and cybersecurity trainer at global events and conferences.
Alina comments that the ‘idea of helping and making our world a safer place has always been a driving force in my life as a cybersecurity professional.’
She remarks ‘we need more cyberheroes’ as women comprise roughly only 24% of cybersecurity professionals. She asserts diversity is key in cybersecurity, to bring innovative solutions and voice different perspectives on important challenges.
Switzerland “There are still very few female role models, which are critical to inspire more women to join tech careers.”
Alina displayed her humbleness and admiration for fellow cyberheroes earlier this year, when accepting her award as Cybersecurity Woman of the Year 2022. “What really makes my heart sing is to see a greater representation of women, who without any fear, drive innovation with their application and extraordinary work.”
Alina remarks back in the day, closed doors offered enough physical protection against outside threats. But market trends like IT/OT convergence, increased connectivity, cloud connection as well as relying on Internet of Things (IoT) technology are creating new security challenges for building industry and critical infrastructures.
Writing in 2021 in Forbes magazine, she explains smart buildings use ‘automated processes to control operations such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and security.’ Many smart buildings rely on IoT technology, which is managed by sensors that collect data and software to minimize energy use and environmental impact.
Alina comments in the International Security Journal (ISJ), the problem is that ‘building systems are no longer isolated virtually or physically’ because it’s easy to add IoT devices to any network. “Since internet-connected devices can be accessed and controlled from anywhere in the world, they can communicate with each other and with an organization’s IT systems, making them part of the larger enterprise-wide network.”
The higher the connectivity, the higher an IT department’s security concerns – and with building devices communicating via the internet – cyberhackers may attack through the building’s systems and devices.
With studies showing that 57% of IoT devices are vulnerable to medium or high-severity attacks – Alina stresses ‘cybersecurity is more crucial than ever,’ especially for critical infrastructures like hospitals, data centers and power plants.
For her, it’s essential to work in a domain that has a good impact on society. At Siemens, Alina’s doing just that – combining information technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) to create innovative, industrial IoT products and solutions for smart buildings and critical infrastructure globally.
Turning to the Metaverse, she defines it as a ‘combination of the real and the digital worlds across operational and information technology to make decisions faster and with increased confidence.’ But cybersecurity operates in the industrial Metaverse, which Alina says is ‘accelerating at astronomical speed.’
According to 4sight.cloud, the Industrial Metaverse is ‘a new ecosystem in which new information and communication technologies represented by IoT, AI, and digital twins are deeply integrated with the real economy.’ Alina envisages the industrial Metaverse will allow us to interact, learn and adapt with the new environment.
But she warns as it evolves technically, there’ll be constantly changing risks in cybersecurity, its legal framework, and the methods used by cybercriminals.
And while Alina maintains a work-life balance Alpine hiking and enjoying beautiful Swiss landscapes, she’s truly living her passion: “Constantly being challenged to learn new and emerging technologies is what motivates me to go to work every day. And so is the cybersecurity field – it’s always changing, so you can never stop learning!”
