Programming languages that are useful to hackers
Why should hackers learn how to program?
- Hackers are problem solvers and tool builders, learning how to program will help you implement solutions to problems. It also differentiates you from script kiddies.
- Writing programs as a hacker will help you to automate many tasks which would usually take lots of time to complete.
- Writing programs can also help you identify and exploit programming errors in applications that you will be targeting.
- You don’t have to reinvent the wheel all the time, and there are a number of open-source programs that are readily usable. You can customize the already existing applications and add your methods to suit your needs.
| SR NO. | COMPUTER LANGUAGES | DESCRIPTION | PLATFORM | PURPOSE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HTML | The language used to write web pages. | *Cross-platform | Web hacking
Login forms and other data entry methods on the web use HTML forms to get data. Being able to write and interpret HTML, makes it easy for you to identify and exploit weaknesses in the code. |
| 2 | JavaScript | Client-side scripting language | *Cross-platform | Web Hacking
JavaScript code is executed on the client browse. You can use it to read saved cookies and perform cross site scripting etc. |
| 3 | PHP | Server-side scripting language | *Cross-platform | Web Hacking
PHP is one of the most used web programming languages. It is used to process HTML forms and perform other custom tasks. You could write a custom application in PHP that modifies settings on a web server and makes the server vulnerable to attacks. |
| 4 | SQL | The language used to communicate with the database | *Cross-platform | Web Hacking
Using SQL injection, to bypass web application login algorithms that are weak, delete data from the database, etc. |
| 5 | Python
Ruby Bash Perl |
High-level programming languages | *Cross-platform | Building tools & scripts
They come in handy when you need to develop automation tools and scripts. The knowledge gained can also be used in understand and customization the already available tools. |
| 6 | C & C++ | Low-Level Programming | *Cross-platform | Writing exploits, shellcodes, etc.
They come in handy when you need to write your own shellcodes, exploits, rootkits, or understanding and expanding on existing ones. |
| 7 | Java
CSharp Visual Basic VBScript |
Other languages | Java & CSharp are *cross-platform. Visual Basic is specific to Windows | Other uses
The usefulness of these languages depends on your scenario. |
* Cross-platform means programs developed using the particular language can be deployed on different operating systems such as Windows, Linux based, MAC, etc.
Other skills
In addition to programming skills, a good hacker should also have the following skills:
- Know how to use the internet and search engines effectively to gather information.
- Get a Linux-based operating system and know the basics commands that every Linux user should know.
- Practice makes perfect, a good hacker should be hardworking and positively contribute to the hacker community. He/she can contribute by developing open-source programs, answering questions in hacking forums, etc.
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