Why programming languages matter in cyber security
Programming sits at the heart of modern cyber security skills. Cyber security professionals use code to:
automate tasks that are repetitive,
build small tools that save time,
investigate security incidents and cyber threats,
fix weaknesses at their source.
In short: When you understand how software is built, you can secure it better. Coding turns guesswork into clear steps you can test and repeat. Think of code as a set of instructions the computer follows. If you can read and write those instructions, you can spot weak points in computer security and strengthen them.
What employers look for
Cyber security professionals who understand how operating systems work
Employers want people who can read code, understand operating systems, and use scripting languages to support day to day security work. They also look for people who can analyse logs, which are records of what happened on a system, and rebuild timelines to see events in order. This helps with intrusion detection systems, which alert you to suspicious activity, incident response and vulnerability management.
Employability skills that make a difference
Beyond technical knowledge, employers also want to see that you can combine technical skill with strategic thinking – a key part of any modern cyber security role. They often include:
Problem-solving and critical thinking skills: spotting patterns and finding causes behind issues.
Risk management and data management skills: assessing potential threats, managing sensitive information, and keeping data secure.
System administration and cloud infrastructure: maintaining reliable systems across networks and cloud platforms.
System monitoring and anomaly detection skills: tracking unusual behaviour before it becomes a problem.
Malware analysis and data parsing skills: investigating malicious software and breaking down complex data to understand how and why breaches happen.
Helpful frameworks to check which computer programming skills matter
If you're exploring cybersecurity roles, two industry-standard frameworks map technical skills to job functions.
See the NIST NICE Framework and the European Cybersecurity Skills Framework for role profiles and example tasks.
What this guide covers
This guide will give an overview of computer programming languages and how important they are for security professionals. It answers what coding languages are used in cyber security today and why. We'll also touch on how Walbrook’s MSc in Computer Science with Cyber Security might help you build some of these programming skills to start off your successful career.
Before you start reading: key terms to know
Before we explore the programming languages used in cyber security, it helps to understand a few common terms.
An operating system is the main software that runs your computer – such as Windows, Linux, or macOS.
A scripting language (like Python, Bash, or PowerShell) automates tasks by telling the computer what to do step by step.
Code is simply a set of instructions that make software work. Reading and writing it helps you understand how systems behave and how to protect them.
Essential computer programming languages in cyber security
Web development languages: HTML, CSS and JavaScript
If you are interested in programming, you will come across terms like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These three tools are often called the building blocks of the Web:
HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) structures a web page
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) styles the page
JavaScript adds behaviour in the browser
Database management: SQL (MariaDB and MySQL) & NoSQL (MongoDB)
Operating systems and scripting: essential tools for cyber defenders
Security professionals work across different operating systems like Windows, Linux, and macOS every day. Knowing the basics makes it easier to strengthen services, gather system information, and monitor activity.
Knowing how software interacts with the operating system helps you detect issues early, interpret system logs, and manage user access securely. These skills also make it easier to communicate with engineers and developers when resolving incidents.
Languages for AI and data science secured pathways
Programming and collaboration environments
What they are
These are the places where you write code, run it, and share your work with others. They also help teams review changes, keep a clear history of who did what, and turn one-off checks into repeatable workflows.
Visual Studio Code: A free code editor with extensions for Python, JavaScript, and SQL. You can edit, test, and debug locally or in the cloud, which fits neatly into everyday developer workflows.
GitHub: A home for code and teamwork. It provides version control, pull requests, and code scanning so changes are reviewed, traceable, and easy to approve.
Google Colab: A browser based notebook for Python. It mixes code, results, and notes in one page, which is ideal for quick experiments and sharing a link that anyone can rerun, even without direct access to a lab machine.
Google Cloud AutoML (Vertex AI): A managed machine learning service. You can train simple models without setting up servers, useful for trying ideas like spotting unusual patterns in events, with a human still reviewing the results.
Why security teams use them
These tools fit how modern teams work. VS Code and GitHub keep security fixes in the same place as application code, so changes are easy to track and approve. Colab is handy for quick checks and sharing a live, repeatable notebook with a teammate. AutoML helps you test ideas like spotting unusual patterns in events, while a human still reviews the results and decides what to do next.
Takeaway: Choose the environment that removes friction so you can learn faster.
Python
What it is
Python is a high level, general purpose programming language designed for clear, readable code. It is open source and free to use, even for commercial work. Python lets you work quickly and “glue” different systems together thanks to a large standard library, which means you do not have to build everything from scratch. According to GitHub’s Octoverse Python also plays a leading role in the current AI wave.
In short, it's a flexible language you can pick up fast and use for many jobs, from small scripts to full applications.
Why security teams use it
Security teams use Python because it speeds up everyday work and is easy to share with colleagues. You can write short scripts to collect logs, tidy data, and check for warning signs, then run them again whenever you need. Many tools that analysts already use support Python directly. For example, Jupyter notebooks let you mix code, results, and notes in one place, which makes investigations easier to explain and repeat.
Python also connects well to other systems through APIs, which are simple rules that let two pieces of software talk to each other. That makes it straightforward to pull threat data from a service, add context to an alert, or push a ticket into a case-management tool with a few lines of code.
Takeaway: Python helps you turn raw data into a clear action in minutes.
Low level knowledge: when to learn C and assembly language
Some professionals learn the C programming language to understand memory and how operating systems work under the hood. Others learn assembly language for malware analysis and deeper investigations. These advanced skills support specialist cybersecurity positions in reverse engineering (taking software apart to see how it works) and ethical hacking.
Takeaway: Python gets you moving quickly; C and assembly help when you need to go deep.
Cyber security analyst skills
What coding changes day to day
Programming multiplies the impact of a security analyst. You can build small utilities to automate repetitive tasks, run network monitoring and system monitoring queries, and create checks that feed intrusion detection systems. Typical activities include gathering system information, analysing logs with SQL, and writing scripts that support incident response and vulnerability management.
Typical problems you will solve
These cyber security skills help security professionals respond faster and improve the organisation’s security posture:
Write one-off scripts that become reliable controls
Improve access management by finding unused rights
Support risk management with short reports that show what changed and why
Background info: Access management is how you decide who can see or change something. Risk management is how you judge the chance and impact of a problem and choose what to do.
Continuous learning and governance context
Expect to refine essential skills throughout your career. UK bodies such as the National Cyber Security Centre and the UK Cyber Security Council publish guidance that helps align practice with legal and regulatory needs.
For privacy and compliance, teams follow General Data Protection Regulation guidance from the ICO (GDPR) when handling data and planning disaster recovery. This context matters in the private sector and across public services, and it keeps technical work aligned with risk management, access management, and network security.
Takeaway: Grow your technical skills and your governance knowledge side by side.
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Choosing the right programming language
How to pick your first language
Start with one primary language and expand as your role grows.
Python plus SQL suits many analyst roles and helps you automate security operations.
For web development and web application security, add HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
For specialist roles, add the C programming language and assembly language.
The goal is not to learn every language at once. Training providers and recruitment agencies often recommend this staged approach because it matches how security teams hire and train in practice.
How to map languages to roles
The language you choose to work on first depends on the role and the systems you protect. Match your first language to the operating systems, cloud services, and apps you will work with. Cloud services are tools you use over the internet, such as storage or virtual machines.
For a quick overview of role paths and responsibilities in cyber security, see Walbrook’s careers guide.
MSc Computer Science with Cyber Security at Walbrook
Our MSc in Computer Science with Cyber Security is designed by experts in London with close connections to London’s Tech City. The curriculum is driven by emerging technologies so that your technical background grows with what employers need now.
You’ll gain practical experience that connects theory with real-world cyber security work. Each module focuses on applying your programming and analytical skills to realistic challenges, helping you build confidence as you learn.
MSc in Computer Science with Cyber Security
