The Best Programming Languages for Cybersecurity Careers

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portrait of Bethanny Parker

by Bethanny Parker

Published on October 12, 2021 · Updated on December 10, 2021

Reviewed by Brian Nichols

  • Businesses need cybersecurity professionals to create new and better reckoner systems.
  • Cybersecurity professionals need to larn the coding languages that hackers utilise.
  • Languages well-nigh often used by hackers include Python, JavaScript, and PHP.

Between 2019 and 2029, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 31% job growth for information security analysts, which is much faster than average. Businesses demand professionals who can pattern secure reckoner systems, invent new tools to defend their systems, locate hidden software vulnerabilities, and perform automation. That requires coding experience.

In this guide, we have a wait at what programming languages are used by hackers and cybersecurity professionals so you tin can choose the right languages to larn when starting your cybersecurity career.

What Are Programming Languages?

Programming languages tell computers what deportment to perform. There are high-level and low-level languages. Most software developers write code in high-level languages because it'southward easier for humans to read and understand than depression-level languages.

For example, Visual Basic, a loftier-level linguistic communication, is easy to understand. In order to send standard output to your screen, you merely use the PRINT control. Whereas in a low-level language you demand to utilise many hexadecimal symbols to ship standard output to your screen, which is much harder to read, lawmaking, and understand.

Yous may hear programming languages also referred to as coding languages. The two terms are oftentimes used interchangeably. Nonetheless, software development jobs can vary in terms of their responsibilities. Some software developers may simply write code, while others assistance with or pb the design of the entire program, application, or website.

Why Are Programming Languages Important for Cybersecurity?

To understand how an attacker breaches a system, cybersecurity professionals must be able to sympathise the programming languages that hackers use, amidst many other things. For this reason, cybersecurity professionals should learn several high-level programming languages.

You lot can become an thought of in-need languages by looking at job listings for cybersecurity professionals. If you attend a cybersecurity bootcamp, the curriculum will include at least i programming language and often several currently used in the field.

Which Cybersecurity Programming Language Is Best for Me?

The top cybersecurity languages include Java, JavaScript, Python, SQL, PHP, PowerShell, and C. Depending on your career path, you may detect other languages useful as well.

Java

  • This language is widely used in systems programming and mobile app development, so information technology's popular with hackers who want to admission operating systems or exploit mobile vulnerabilities.
  • Coffee is often used to create botnets and perform identity theft, but is besides used in ethical hacking programs.
  • Hackers can use Java to send letters from their victims' phones.

Java is 1 of the well-nigh popular programming languages. Information technology is a general-purpose language that works for a variety of applications but is peculiarly pop for mobile device software development. Cheque out our list of the best Java bootcamps to find a program where y'all can learn this language.

Python

  • Hackers oftentimes use Python to write malicious programs, exploits, and hacking scripts.
  • Python'southward frequent utilize of in-network programming makes it a popular option for hackers.
  • Hackers love Python's prepare-made modules for accessing operating systems and IP addresses, especially since it is cross-platform (runs on all operating systems).

Python's expansive user customs makes information technology popular with newbie hackers due to the ease of getting aid from other users. The high readability of the language makes it a adept choice for new programmers and hackers akin.

Explore our list of the best Python bootcamps to find out where you can larn this language. Yous can also larn Python online with an online Python bootcamp or a free Python course.

SQL

  • SQL organizes relational databases, assuasive users to query the database and find records that match their search.
  • Hackers can run an SQL injection on an SQL database, allowing them admission to confidential data.
  • Because SQL is used in most enterprise environments, learning SQL is the all-time programming language for hackers to use to attack large databases.

SQL is among the top cybersecurity database languages to know because stopping an attack on a database is nearly impossible without it. Cybersecurity professionals need a solid understanding of how databases work alongside SQL.

Y'all can learn SQL at many data science bootcamps, along with full general cybersecurity, web development, and software engineering science bootcamps.

C and C++

  • A big portion of malware is written in the C and C++ programming languages.
  • Using low-level languages like C/C++ gives hackers access to system infrastructures like arrangement processes and RAM.
  • C/C++ can take years to principal and are not typically used by newbies.

C++ is an extension of C that is sometimes referred to as "C with classes." These two lower-level languages are powerful in the hands of experienced cybercriminals.

JavaScript

  • JavaScript allows programmers to add interactive or animated details to web pages.
  • Since about web applications use JavaScript, information technology is frequently used for hacking websites.
  • Node.js allows JavaScript to be used for backend development, which opens up a much larger field for exploitation.

JavaScript brings interactivity to the web. Anything you meet on a website that is not static was probably implemented through JavaScript. Because this language is and so widely used on the web, it is a peak choice for hacking web applications. Many web development bootcamps, including online web evolution bootcamps, primarily teach JavaScript.

Ruby

  • Hackers accept used Ruby, a web-oriented linguistic communication with a syntax similar to Python, for many years.
  • Reddish is like shooting fish in a barrel to utilize. It is a practiced beginner language.
  • Cerise has tools that allow for storing passwords deeply via a stored hash.

Unlike most programming languages, Cherry supports object-oriented programming, procedural programming, and functional programming. The language supports rational and circuitous numbers, which enables it to solve complex mathematical problems.

PHP

  • PHP is used to build websites. It is a server-side language that helps hackers sympathize how spider web hacking techniques piece of work.
  • PHP is used in almost web domains and helps cybersecurity professionals defend against malicious attackers.
  • Older versions of PHP tin pb to many security vulnerabilities. It'due south important to keep your version patched (alongside all of your code), otherwise PHP websites are prime targets for hackers.

Some of the most pop content direction systems, including WordPress and Drupal, run on PHP. Hackers who find a fashion to compromise those systems will take a large pool of target websites they can assail. An estimated 64 million websites currently run on WordPress.

PowerShell

  • PowerShell is used for configuration management and task automation.
  • PowerShell is native to Windows operating systems.
  • It can be difficult to discern between legitimate PowerShell code and malware PowerShell code.

PowerShell malware is becoming more prevalent, and is a proficient cybersecurity programming language to learn if you're going to be working inside Windows operating systems.

Frequently Asked Questions Nigh Cybersecurity Programming Languages

What coding experience do you need for cybersecurity?

For cybersecurity careers, y'all need to be fluent in at least 1 of the in a higher place languages. The more programming noesis and feel you have, the meliorate prepared you are to counter cyberattacks in any language.

What programming language do hackers use?

The top programming languages used by hackers include Python, JavaScript, PHP, SQL, and C. Agreement these languages volition assistance cybersecurity professionals counter attacks as well as understand how to defend confronting them.

Is C++ good for cybersecurity?

Hackers often use C++ to remove trial periods from paid software to get gratuitous use of the software. During the software development life cycle (SDLC), cybersecurity professionals can use their C++ noesis to assist forestall vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit.

Reviewed by:

Born and raised in upstate New York, Brian Nichols began his IT education through a vocational high school where he focused on computer science, Information technology fundamentals, and networking. Brian and so went to his local community college, where he received his associate of scientific discipline in computer computer science. He then received his bachelor of science in applied networking and system assistants from a private higher. Brian now lives in Kansas City, where he works full-time as a DevOps engineer. Brian is besides a role-time instructor in cybersecurity. He's passionate about cybersecurity and helping students succeed.

Brian Nichols is a paid member of the Red Ventures Education freelance review network.

These are the top 10 most of import programming languages to learn. Read on to see which one you should learn outset to launch your tech career. Explore height cybersecurity bootcamps to quickly get up to speed in an in-demand field. Find bootcamps that offer career support and mentorship. Acquire about popular cybersecurity careers and their earning potential in this guide. We answer your question about earning a Master's in Cybersecurity degree — career outlook, admissions, toll, and programme information.

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