What Programming Languages do you Really Need for Cyber Security?
Introduction
Cyber security is a rapidly growing field, and as such, it is essential to know which programming languages are most relevant for those working in the industry. In this blog post, we will examine the two perspectives of career paths and job descriptions to determine the most important programming languages for cyber security professionals
Career Path Perspective
The first perspective we will consider is your career path in cyber security. There are two paths to choose from, offensive or defensive. For those working in defensive cyber security, such as security engineers or security analysts, the most important programming languages to learn are bash and powershell. As they will be building and securing networks that are often run on Linux and Windows operating systems, it is crucial to know the command language of these systems.
For those on the offensive path, such as penetration testers, the most important language to learn is also bash, as most testing is performed on the Linux operating system. Additionally, python is a vital language to know in offensive cyber security, as most tools and automation scripts are built using this language.
Job Description Perspective
The second perspective to consider is the job description. Knowing the programming language that your company or organization uses is crucial. For example, if your company has built a web monitoring tool using javascript, it would be essential to know javascript to secure and test the software regularly.
Furthermore, job-specific languages are also essential to know. For example, web application penetration testers should know javascript as it is a crucial web language. Exploit developers should learn c to develop exploits for use in the industry.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is essential to know the most relevant programming languages for cyber security professionals. Powershell and bash are crucial for defensive cyber security roles, while python is essential for those working in offensive roles. It is also vital to know the language that your company or organization uses and any job-specific languages that are relevant to your role. Remember to continue learning and stay up to date with new programming languages and tools in the industry.
