Python is a versatile programming language that is easy to learn and an easy-to-understand syntax. While the language can be used for a wide range of applications, cybersecurity professionals use the language to perform essential tasks related to cybersecurity, such as malware analysis, scanning, and penetration testing.
The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS), a cybersecurity training and educational initiative that hosts DHS/CISA-developed workforce tools, notes that Python is useful “in a variety of information security areas.” Technically a scripting language, Python is also used to develop hacking scripts and design secure programs.
See our Python programming overview here.
Python vulnerabilities
As data breaches become more frequent, it is important to secure your network and data from Python-based vulnerabilities. Despite its numerous benefits, no programming language is free of security risks. Python is no exception. For example, Palo Alto Networks discovered a Python backdoor used by an Iran-linked APT group against the Turkish government. Python-based risks include injection attacks, parsing XML, timing attacks, temporary files, and misuse of pickle data.
