Accessibility in Cybersecurity: A Practical, Living Guide

Let's Start with a Word: Accessibility

Take a moment.

Think about the word accessibility from a cybersecurity lens.

Now pause for a moment.

Now write down what came to mind.

Did your definition focus on access?

Who gets it, when, and under what controls?

Did the word make you think about risk, or at least how our cybersecurity teams determine privilege?

If it did, you are not alone. Many cybersecurity practitioners go there first, and we were trained that way, too. The idea of access is usually tied to protecting systems, setting boundaries, and keeping threats out.

Accessibility has always been part of cybersecurity. But it has not always been in focus. It is time we bring that truth forward and define it clearly together.

Let's Talk About Disability

Accessibility includes many things: inclusive design, assistive technology support, clear communication, flexible systems, and much more. But at its core, accessibility is about removing barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in digital spaces, including cybersecurity.

To understand accessibility in cybersecurity, we must first understand disability itself. While disability means different things to different people and communities, for the purposes of this book, we use the World Health Organization's definition: disability results from the interaction between individuals with health conditions and barriers in their environment that prevent full participation in society.

Disability is not always visible, not always permanent, and not always accommodated. It's a reality of human life that affects how people interact with security solutions, policies, and protections. In cybersecurity and IT, accessibility needs typically fall into six main categories:

• Visual - affects how people see and process visual information
• Hearing - affects how people receive and process audio information
• Motor - affects movement, dexterity, and physical interaction with devices
• Speech - affects verbal communication and voice-based input
• Cognitive - affects information processing, memory, and attention
• Temporary/Situational - temporary conditions or environmental factors that create barriers

Each category creates specific challenges in cybersecurity contexts. For example, an employee who is blind is trying to access a critical work system, may find the login page incompatible with their screen reader, forcing them to ask colleagues, friends, or even strangers on the Internet to enter their credentials.

A deaf or hearing-impaired team member attending mandatory security awareness training misses crucial information about recognizing phishing attempts because the video lacks captions, or worse, has auto-generated captions that misinterpret technical terms. Meanwhile, their hearing colleagues receive complete information about the same threats.

Security guidance often assumes everyone can see visual cues, use a mouse, or hear audio warnings. Instructions like "hover over the button" fail for keyboard-only users, while advice to "listen for the confirmation tone" excludes deaf users entirely. These assumptions create gaps in security knowledge that affect the entire organization's risk posture.

CAPTCHA systems designed to prevent automated attacks can become insurmountable barriers for humans. Complex visual puzzles exclude users with vision impairments, while cognitive puzzles that require identifying obscure objects or solving abstract problems can be impossible for people with cognitive disabilities or those who speak English as a second language.

Here's what we cannot afford to forget:

Accessibility exists because of disability.

Every standard, every tool, every guideline started with the fight to make the world more usable for people who were being left out. People with disabilities fought to create awareness, standards, and frameworks for making the world more inclusive, and we've all benefited from their work.

The problem is that most security systems were built with one type of user in mind: someone with full vision, full mobility, who reads quickly, clicks precisely, and never deviates from the expected path. This narrow approach creates barriers that not only exclude people from using security tools but also exclude them from joining the cybersecurity field entirely.

If we want to build truly secure systems, we must start with the full range of people they are meant to protect. With over 1.3 billion people worldwide living with disabilities, that means thinking about accessibility from the beginning and recognizing it not as an exception, but as part of the vast spectrum of human experience. Only then can we create cybersecurity solutions that work for everyone.

A Shared Opportunity

Accessibility is one of cybersecurity's greatest untapped strengths, and cybersecurity is one of accessibility's most urgent frontiers.

This book exists because there is a massive opportunity at the intersection of these fields. The tools and training designed to protect people must also be usable by everyone. Right now, they are not in most cases.

Both fields face similar challenges. Accessibility and cybersecurity are often placed on separate tracks, brought in too late, or treated as side efforts. They are misunderstood by those outside the field. They are seen as reactive, when in fact they should be part of the foundation from the start. And when either one is left out, the risk increases for everyone.

Here's a phrase to keep in mind:

If it isn't accessible, it isn't secure or private.

You can put those three words in any order, and the message still holds.

If it isn't secure, it isn't private or accessible.

If it isn't private, it isn't secure or accessible.

Each one depends on the others. Leave one out, and you weaken the whole.

Security teams are often expected to write policies, configure tools, and teach safe behavior. But if those efforts are not accessible, they miss the opportunity to reach everyone they are empowered to protect.

On the other side, accessibility professionals drive inclusive design but often without visibility into the security controls layered over that experience. This creates unintentional risk.

The solution is not just technical. It is cultural. It starts with inclusive design. A mindset that systems should work for everyone, not just the assumed user.

We need a shift. We need to leverage our shared experiences and unique strengths.

A Clearer Definition

When security professionals hear the word accessibility, they often think about system access or identity management.

But in the world of digital inclusion, accessibility means making sure people can use what has been built. That includes the tools meant to protect them.

Here is how we define it:

Accessibility in cybersecurity means every person, including those who rely on assistive technology, can independently use, understand, and benefit from the tools, training, services, and guidance designed to keep them secure. It also means they can participate in the field itself. No one should be shut out of a cybersecurity career because the tools required to learn or do the work are not accessible.

Accessibility encompasses your policies, phishing tests, authentication apps, browser settings, password managers, alerts, security instructions, and other relevant factors. The risk is on us if someone cannot use these without assistance.

Least Privilege and Perception Barriers

For accessibility professionals reading this, there is a concept in cybersecurity called least privilege.

It means users should only be given the access they need to do their job. Nothing more.

So when security teams hear the word accessibility without context, they may perceive it as a potential threat to that principle. But this is not about broadening access to sensitive systems. It is about removing barriers for legitimate users who have the right to be there but are blocked by poor design.

Accessibility is not about weakening access controls or opening sensitive systems. It is about making sure people can even get to the front door of the tools designed to keep them safe.

Why Keyboard Access Matters

Cybersecurity advice often leans on mouse-first thinking.

We say things like "click here," or "don't click that link."

But not everyone clicks. And not everyone sees what you are pointing to.

Assistive technologies allow users to use different senses and methods of navigation. Some of them enable keyboard-only access. That includes screen readers and switch devices. They navigate by structure, not necessarily by sight. They follow logical focus order, not where the mouse is. Some users also use keyboard navigation without using a mouse or any other assistive tech.

If a security control, training module, or application cannot be used with just a keyboard, it is likely not usable by someone relying on assistive tech or keyboard-only access.

This is one of the most common ways people are excluded without anyone realizing it.

If it does not pass the keyboard test, it does not pass the inclusion test.

Examples of Real-Life Barriers in Cybersecurity

These barriers aren't theoretical problems for the future, they're happening in organizations right now, creating security vulnerabilities in addition to accessibility issues:

Daily Security Tools That Exclude

• Password manager applications that can't be navigated with a keyboard, forcing users to store passwords insecurely or ask others for help, compromising the very security the tool was meant to provide
• Multi-factor authentication apps that ignore voice control commands or screen magnification, leaving users unable to complete login processes independently
• Security dashboards and monitoring tools with tiny fonts, poor contrast, or color-only indicators that exclude analysts with vision impairments from effectively identifying threats

Training and Policies That Miss the Mark

• Security awareness training that assumes everyone uses a mouse, can see visual demonstrations, or can hear audio cues, leaving significant portions of staff without complete security knowledge
• Corporate security policies written in dense technical jargon without plain language alternatives, making compliance impossible for people with cognitive disabilities or limited English proficiency
• Incident response procedures delivered only through complex flowcharts or video content without accessible alternatives

Authentication Nightmares

• CAPTCHAs that present impossible cognitive puzzles, distorted text that screen readers can't interpret, or audio alternatives that are incomprehensible
• Login forms that break when users employ assistive technology, forcing them to disable security features or seek help with credentials
• Time-sensitive authentication processes that don't account for users who need extra time to navigate interfaces

Career and Workplace Exclusion

• Cybersecurity certification programs and training materials that aren't compatible with assistive technology, blocking career advancement
• Security tools and platforms used daily in cybersecurity work that lack basic accessibility features, making jobs impossible to perform independently
• Job interviews and assessments that assume specific abilities, filtering out qualified candidates before they can demonstrate their expertise

These aren't edge cases or rare occurrences. They represent systematic failures in how we design and implement cybersecurity measures. The consequences follow a predictable pattern:

When security isn't accessible, people adapt by:

• Finding insecure workarounds - disabling security features, sharing credentials, or using less secure alternatives that actually work with their assistive technology
• Skipping secure behaviors entirely - avoiding security procedures they can't complete, leaving gaps in organizational protection
• Disengaging from security processes - becoming passive participants who can't contribute to threat detection or incident response

Every accessibility barrier becomes a security vulnerability. In cybersecurity, we know that trust and relationships are very important. When we build systems that exclude people, we compromise the trust, weaken the relationship and ultimately put our people at risk.

This Is a Security Requirement

If your security program is not usable by everyone, it is not fully secure. Security that excludes people creates vulnerabilities that affect the entire organization. Your security measures need to work for everyone, including people who:

Use assistive technology:

• Screen readers, screen magnifiers, or Braille displays to access digital content
• Keyboards, switches, or head pointers instead of traditional mouse navigation
• Voice control, eye tracking, or other adaptive hardware for system interaction

Have specific visual or sensory needs:

• Clear contrast and resizable text to read security information
• Visual indicators that don't rely solely on color coding
• Captions or transcripts for audio-based security content

Process information differently:

• Simplified content and plain language explanations of security concepts
• Step-by-step instructions rather than complex procedures
• Extra time to complete authentication or security tasks without timeouts

Navigate cognitive challenges:

• Memory aids or assistive apps to complete multi-step security processes
• Reduced cognitive load in security interfaces and workflows
• Clear, predictable layouts that don't overwhelm attention

Learn and communicate differently:

• Asynchronous or repeatable formats for security training and alerts
• Multiple ways to receive and respond to security communications
• Alternatives to high-pressure, real-time security interactions

Have trauma or anxiety responses:

• Security warnings that inform without triggering panic responses
• Alternatives to aggressive or fear-based security messaging
• Options to customize alert frequency and intensity

Accessibility directly impacts three critical areas of cybersecurity:

Risk Management: When security tools exclude users, those users find workarounds that introduce vulnerabilities. Every inaccessible security measure creates a potential entry point for threats.

Organizational Reach: Security policies and training that aren't accessible leave portions of your workforce inadequately protected. Gaps in security knowledge create gaps in organizational defense.

Human Resources: Inaccessible security tools limit who can work effectively in cybersecurity roles, reducing the talent pool and diverse perspectives that strengthen security programs.

Accessibility is not optional in cybersecurity. It is a fundamental security requirement.

It affects your risk. It affects your reach. It affects your people.

Without it, your security program has built-in weaknesses that compromise the protection you're trying to achieve. Managing risk is everyone's responsibility in cybersecurity. That responsibility includes ensuring our security measures don't become barriers to the people they're designed to protect.

Chapter Takeaways

For cybersecurity professionals:

Start asking whether your tools and policies are usable by everyone. If you have never tested them with assistive technology, you are unaware. Accessible security strengthens your controls, not weakens them. It prevents human error, increases adoption, and protects more people more effectively.

For accessibility professionals:

Security is not just a separate system to be layered in later. It is part of the user experience. When a user cannot access a phishing test, MFA app, or security alert, that creates exposure. Work with your security team. Share language. Learn their priorities. Help them see usability as part of the control.

One Final Thought

Go back to what you wrote earlier.

Has your definition of accessibility changed?

If it has, that is growth.

If it has not, that is fine too. Keep going.

This is just the start of something we will build together.

Let's go.