As technology advances, we have seen an increase in the number of cyber crimes worldwide. This has given birth to a rising demand for cybersecurity experts. These experts need a wide range of skills to succeed in their careers.
This is required since they have to identify potential attacks in time and develop solutions to prevent them. In addition, they have to keep up with the latest trends surrounding the cybersecurity world.
Programming skills are among the necessary skills to be a cybersecurity expert. Here are some of the programming skills essential for a career in cybersecurity.
- JavaScript
JavaScript is one of the best programming languages, especially for people who want to execute cross-site scripting and work with event handlers and cookies. It is also the most common programming language for building websites and web applications.
Due to this, most websites and web applications are commonly targeted by cybercriminals. If, for instance, cybercriminals manage to control a website or web application, they can do anything they want and gain access to sensitive information.
This means that you need to be skilled in JavaScript for a successful career in cybersecurity. There are many ways of learning these programming languages. However, when starting, ensure that you have joined one of the best coding bootcamps like Altcademy.
- HTML
HTML is a markup language that is used in almost all websites. It is also the most straightforward and fundamental programming language today. According to studies, about 90% of websites use HTML.
Cybercriminals can use HTML in different ways. For instance, they can insinuate HTM code into websites. This is a type of cyber attack known as multi-site scripting. They can also use HTML to circulate information or deform websites.
They can spoof websites and collect information from site visitors. These are things that cybersecurity experts need to be aware of. They need to find solutions and protect their websites from attacks easily. They can only do that if they are skilled in HTML.
- C
C is the best programming language for finding exposures and reverse engineering. It is also one of the oldest, having been created in the early 1970s. Developers can use the C programming language for the creation of low-level code.
When building applications using C, developers should ensure that the applications do not have vulnerabilities. However, cybercriminals use the same programming language to look for loopholes and gain unauthorized access to applications.
A career in cybersecurity requires one to be skilled in C. The best cybersecurity analysts, for instance, use C programming language in most of their work. They are tasked with threat analysis and alleviation as well as finding exposures.
- PHP
PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) is a scripting language used in web development. According to studies, a more significant percentage of modern top websites have been designed using PHP. It is also the most popular server-side programming language.
Cybercriminal experts need to be skilled in PHP to defend their systems against cybercriminals. These criminals use PHP in a hacking technique known as Denial of Service (DoS). With this technique, cybercriminals can deny users access to websites or systems.
PHP can also be used to delete data from websites. It is the most used programming language when hacking personal websites. You, therefore, need to understand the ins and outs of how PHP works for you to protect your systems and applications from attack.
- Python
Python is essential when it comes to malware research and task automation. It also comes with many libraries with different scripts. Cybercriminals use these scripts to gain access to applications, especially when they cannot write their own code.
Apart from the use of scripts, cybercriminals also use tools like Auto Sploit, a hacking tool that uses Python scripts. This tool is common among cybercriminals who want to automate the manipulation of remote multitudes.
Cybersecurity experts need to be skilled in Python for them to create scripts and tools that can secure and protect their websites from attack. They can also use Python to employ artifacts, logs, and data when analyzing loopholes or courses of attack.
Other essential programming skills for a career in cybersecurity include C++, Java, SQL, and Assembly. Getting skilled in all these programming languages is not a walk in the park. However, if you start with a couple of the languages discussed in this article, you can be assured of a successful career in the cybersecurity world.
