Python For Cybersecurity

May 28, 2020

Technology is advancing at a swift pace today. With easy access to smartphones and the internet, almost everyone uses numerous websites and apps daily. According to Forbes, the total amount of newly created data in 2020 has been predicted to reach 35 Zettabytes. Large amounts of data are stored in data centers across the world. The data might contain our personal information, financial details, and other sensitive information. The massive increase in the amount of data has made security threats like viruses, malware attacks, phishing, ransomware, etc. more advanced and complex. Another reason for an increase in cyber-threats is the popularity of Internet-of-Things (IoT). IoT technology has made it possible for various devices to access the internet and be connected. While it is prevalent, it has also brought a lot of security vulnerability issues. There is a heightened need for protection against data and system threats.

What is Cybersecurity, and why is it important?

Cybersecurity is the protection of computer systems and networks from the theft of or damage to their hardware, software, or electronic data, as well as from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide. - Wikipedia

A data breach or data theft can cause a loss of billions of dollars to companies and can have other devastating consequences for people.

Some Kinds of Cybersecurity Threats

Malware: It describes malicious and dangerous software that breaches a network using a vulnerability. Once it gets installed in the network or the system, it disrupts crucial functionality or steals data. It is a common form of cyber-attack these days. Ransomware is a kind of malware.

DOS Attack: The Denial-of-Service attack floods the network, servers, and systems to exhaust bandwidth and disrupting the usual activity.

Man-in-the-middle attack: The attacker gets in the middle of a two-party transaction or conversation and steals valuable data. Usually, attackers use insecure public wifi networks or malware to accomplish their tasks.

Phishing: It is when a fraudulent party sends a mail or some form of communication that appears to be from an authentic and reputed source like a bank. The victim is asked for sensitive information like credit card details. If the victim enters the data, the attacker gets access to all the information. Phishing is very dangerous.

SQL Injection: The attacker inserts a piece of code that causes the server to reveal confidential information.

There are many more kinds of cyber-attacks and threats.

Python for Cybersecurity

Library Support

Python has extensive library support. The availability of a large number of libraries reduces the amount of effort needed to develop cybersecurity applications as well as perform tasks like penetration testing and cyber threat detection and analysis. Many programmers find it easy to create applications because of the availability of libraries.

Researchers and ethical hackers also use Python libraries. Some of the libraries used are Scapy, Requests/Beautiful Soup, Impackets, Libmap/NMap,

Easy Language

Python is a straightforward language when compared to some of the other popular languages. Python has a simple syntax and can be picked up easily by new developers or those entering the field of cyber-security. Python is also one of the preferred languages by seasoned developers since they can implement a lot of functionalities with Python. Python scripts can be developed easily. The simple syntax also enables cybersecurity professionals to find errors in the code easily and fix them.

High Flexibility

Python follows an immaculate and well-defined method of execution. It doesn't leave much room for hackers and attackers to exploit the system or data. Python programming language also enables new and different kinds of applications to be built and integrated into older components easily.

Scalability

Python is a highly scalable language. It is apt for environments where there are a variety of applications working together with each other. Python can be used to provide security to all the applications easily. With its other advantages, like its simplicity and flexibility, it can be easily scaled up to higher levels with ease. If other languages are considered, they tend to be more complicated and need a lot of extra work on the part of the security professionals

Conclusion

With an increase in the severity of cyberattacks, innovation, and progress in the field of cybersecurity has become mandatory. With a versatile language like Python, a lot of measures can be taken to ensure the complete security of the system. The rise in cybercrime has increased the need for Cybersecurity professionals now. With the advancement of technology, this need is only going to grow further. Many professionals are considering learning Python now to give them an edge in the field of cybersecurity.

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Author - Atma Pai

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