Aicha Bouichou

PhD student at the National School of Applied Sciences, Tangier

Aicha Bouichou is a PhD student researching blockchain technology at the National School of Applied Sciences in Tangier where she also teaches engineers and masters students in information security and software development.

If that were not enough to keep her busy, she is also the founder and CEO of IT startup Gurzil Technologies, the creation of which she describes as “one of the most satisfying achievements of my career.”

Gurzil is the name of an 11th-century north African deity, known as a protector, guide, and dispeller of darkness. Bouichou says she and her co-founders started the company, “because we believe we have enough talent in my country to create solutions for our clients.”

Prior to embarking on her PhD Bouichou completed a bachelor’s degree in software engineering and a master’s in cybersecurity and cybercrime in her current school when she chose to focus on cryptocurrencies and smart contracts. Her first job was an internship with a cybersecurity startup in Rabat. This was followed by a consultancy in Casablanca. “I learnt about penetration testing tools, how to perform attacks and how to provide solutions to protect the whole information system,” she says.

Her interest in cybersecurity dates from her schooldays. “I was learning about security breaches with my younger brother. At that time cybersecurity was not popular and nobody saw the importance of securing their data on the Internet. When I got the option to make it my daily work, I didn’t think twice.”

DREAMING OF A PHD

When Bouichou left school she decided to pursue her interest in cybersecurity through a career in academia. “Going for a PhD was crucial. It was a dream come true for me and my family. If I could go back, I would do the same, but with more focus,” she says. “Another important decision was to start my company where I can connect with talented people, exchange ideas and learn more.”

Along the way, she had to overcome toxic work environments where women were not valued. “Women are seen as people who should take care of the household, not as people with expertise in technology and even less, expertise in security,” she says. “I learnt the hard way how to manage the toxic environment, stay focussed on my goals and achieve a balance between pursuing a career and my emotional and physical health.”

She adds: “It is important to keep in mind that every situation will come to an end and that what matters is maintaining emotional and physical health. I have learnt to never give up, even when it feels like everything is going down, and that it’s ok to give things time and start over again.”

BLOCKCHAIN WILL BE BIG

Given her background, it is no surprise that Bouichou sees blockchain technology as having a significant role in cybersecurity in coming years, but one that is threatened by the ability of quantum computing to make today’s encryption techniques insecure.

“The emergence of new technologies such as blockchain, quantum computers and developments in AI are very relevant to security,” Bouichou says. “Quantum cryptography is getting attention from many academicians and companies such as IBM. Developing a robust encryption algorithm that can withstand the power of quantum computer is one of the interesting topics that should find an answer in the near future.”

For any woman interested in pursuing an academic career in cybersecurity, Bouichou advises “Stay up to date with the latest discoveries in the field, connect with professionals and experts, and never hesitate to ask for help. Recognise your weaknesses and work on them. Work on your analysis skills and develop a good package of soft skills. Don’t limit yourself in a specific area, and trust your intuition.”

www.linkedin.com/in/aicha-bouichou

aicha95bouichou@gmail.com