Is Coding Important for Cyber Security?

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The importance of coding for cyber security depends on two things: your work role and desired expertise. Early on, coding is less important since there are other learnable skills that are quicker to pick up. Some examples include: computer networking, operating system architecture, and system administration. Mastering these skills can better serve beginners earlier on in cyber security.

But as you grow in expertise over time, a lack of programming will limit your effectiveness. Here’s why.

Our ability to shape and control the physical or digital world depends on TOOLS. Almost every tool in cyber security consists of code. Even hardware like switches, network taps, and storage media have firmware and drivers.

By way of the UNIX philosophy, tools are specialized and purpose-specific. This is because loosely coupled software is easier to compose and debug. It’s generally a better design pattern. Hence, you’ll often face problems that don’t have the right tool to solve a cyber security problem. Knowing how to program lets you develop tailored solutions to overcome this. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck relying on a teammate or vendor who knows how to code.

There is a distinction between scripting and software development to keep in mind. Many people often use “coding” or “programming” to describe both. Software development is a broad term covering scripting, but also includes other topics. Scripting involves automating tasks with an interpreted language like Python or Bash. It’s a skill learnable within 2-3 months of dedicated practice. Better yet, it’s more often used in day-to-day cyber security work for operators. People who can script are often many times more effective than those who can’t in the cyber security field.

So for those without a computer science background, it’s worth it to learn scripting. It lets you understand tools at a deeper level, altering or composing them together. At the end of the day, cyber security is a team effort. The magic in the interplay between them. If you can’t code, it’s never too late to learn. If you can, be the hero for others who can’t.

Runcode:

Automate the Boring Stuff with Python (2nd ed):

Learn Powershell in a Month of Lunches:

UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook

00:00 How important is coding?
00:35 Relationship between tooling and skills
01:49 3 Types of cyber security professionals
04:07 My experience in cyber with no coding
05:59 Scripting vs. software development
07:23 Should you learn scripting?
07:59 Resources to learn scripting
08:26 Final verdict

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#CyberSecurity #Programming #Cyberspatial
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How many stormtroopers does it take to bring down Vader?

Cyberspatial
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I like how you use Star Wars characters to explain the 3 different types of cyber security analysts. It’s funny and relatable, therefore easy to understand. Thank you for this!

nerdmommy
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Seriously you have a gift for teaching, making your content engaging, and explaining. Thank you !

-___-
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The editing skills are just insane. Keep up the awesome work!!

itsnotme
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I'm in the opposite boat. I'm a web developer who wishes more web developers knew how networking worked, and various ways bad coding could open us up to attacks.

MrCMPUTR
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Your channel is awesome it covered everything beautifully without taking too much time

sourabhdebnath
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This guy is the Roberto Blake of cyber security, even almost the same voice 👍

Be
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I am a web dev but your content is a mine of gold

ahmedboutaraa
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Yo, man I have been watching your vids and I really appreciate your wealth of knowledge shared with us: the books you recommend, tips on where to get started, and overall general insights. I really do appreciate it. It seems that the IT field has some secret cult-like mantra of keeping the knowledge they've obtained hidden and most people are not willing to share. I never understood it. Thank you so much and in my senior years, I want to give back to the community. All knowledge is borrowed: we are not born with it and we die, we must leave it.

spellcasterneo
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2 other strong benefits for learning how to code are:
1. Being able to perform code reviews and reverse engineering. This is the bread and butter of security researchers. Security researchers are often some of the highest payed and most technically advanced security people. If you cannot code, you will not be able to advance to this level.
2. Being able to code allows you get a much deeper understanding of how technologies work and how software engineers work. Once you build your first web app, you will be able to have much deeper understanding of what can wrong in apps and how can those problems be exploited

idanba
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Bro you are incredible, thank you for making these videos. I was planning to go into cyber security but I’m glad I’ve started to do my own independent study before entering any courses. I wanna be ahead of the curve by the time I get my foot through the door and people like you help do that. Thank you for the videos 👊🏼👊🏼

JustinLT
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I'm an older new student to I T and I appreciate greatly your guidance and knowledge in the depths and paths of it's various fields. Please continue to lead.

kengeorge
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Great stuff! I would like to add one more thing that for most of the people with half baked programming skill, it's much better to stick to the ready available tool even though it might not be the most comfortable for you, than making something on your own. Never underestimate your ability to screw things up

abcde
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Woow! Where have you been all this time!? I'm definitely subscribing! You are a talented mentor who has the gift to explain everything in simple terms!! Keep it up

Anatol_SG
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Please, if you all are going to learn to code, make sure you understand how and why the languages work and the underlying systems. Just a heads up!!! Too many learning to code, but can't understand beyond the basics... Don't give up, you will get there.

s---
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As someone coming into the cybersec space, this is invaluable content. I've always wondered how programming/coding would aid me, and the way you have laid it out has just cleared it all up so concisely! Glad to be watching your channel and the great content grow so rapidly!

ItsBrynnB
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Am studying automate the boring stuff with python now
And am also doing some programming on C🙃

blake
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I LOVE the use of the ender's game reference. I really like your content. broken down very effectively, and narrated properly. Have my sub!

SchitzoControl
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I'm glad I found this channel. I feel like I'm kinda old (at 30 years) to just be starting Cybersecurity but these videos are encouraging.

WhatTheGame
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Love your videos bro, just getting into Cybersecurity and scripting is a must, need at least the basics in order to build a solid foundation in the field. Keep the content coming and thank you for what you do.

MD-trsh