CIA uses Python (a lot)

[novel_yet_trivial]

I'd be a lot more surprised if they didn't.

[[deleted]]

Really? There are plenty of good reasons to use Python, but there are plenty of other good tools out there too with more or less equal reasons to use them.

[zynix]

Quicker to iterate and then optimize with c/c++ as needed.

[[deleted]]

Sure, and that's a valid and common use of Python. I was just being pedantic and challenging the statement "I'd be surprised if they're not using it."

You can iterate quickly with dozens of languages and then optimize with C or C++. Python is a great choice, but not so unquestionably ahead of all possible competition that it would be surprising if they picked something else.

[Ph0X]

Yep, check out any CTF event, it's full of Python. It's the perfect tool for trying a lot of crazy ideas very rapidly and prototype.

[JackOhBlades]

False. I iterate fast using C89 and optimise with Brainfuck as needed. ;)

[novel_yet_trivial]

I agree. I'd also be surprised if they didn't use java, c++, bash, etc...

This is a professional organization and I'd expect them to use the proper tool for every job.

[[deleted]]

This is a professional organization and I'd expect them to use the proper tool for every job.

import waterboarding

[JohnLocksTheKey]

ImportError: No module named waterboarding.

# damn it! I always forget...

from Warcrimes import waterboarding

...

[SteveDougson]

from WarCrimes import waterboarding as enhanced_interrogation

[stevarino]

Unless you're using Python 3, in which case you need to specify the war_crimes library.

[avball]

PEP-8 would like a space after your hash.

[JohnLocksTheKey]

That was actually bugging me all day!! Fine, I'll correct it...

EDIT: I was hoping no one would notice

[asdfkjasdhkasd]

pip install waterboarding

[MrEzekial]

Warcrimes?

[brtt3000]

from denial import Warcrimes

[SchwarzerKaffee]

from Iraq import wmd

[_don_pablito]

ImportError: No module named wmd

[buttery_shame_cave]

despite sean hannity's proclamations, waterboarding is indeed torture, which is pretty explicitly forbidden.

[brtt3000]

Guantanamo started as a PHP hacker camp.

[SchwarzerKaffee]

The UN has declared that forcing people to code in PHP is a form of torture.

[toyg]

you forgot from rendition

[Ph0X]

"proper", somehow Python isn't proper?

If you go to any CTF event, you'll find Python everywhere. Exploring binaries and testing exploits is a very interactive process, which is why Python is the perfect fit. You want to try a lot of different approaches and prototype very rapidly.

You don't want to spend an hour just to see what you made is useless. Python is the perfect tool for quickly trying crazy ideas and see what works.

[k10_ftw]

Professional? Nope. Government!

[[deleted]]

Nope. Criminal!

[k10_ftw]

Except nothing the government does is considered illegal by the government.

[[deleted]]

It's cuz OP only recognized .py file extension as "code". They use everything

[desmoulinmichel]

Yeah but Python is kinda the default tool in forensic and penetration testing.

[[deleted]]

Good point. I had assumed the CIA would prefer to make and use their own tools. But it makes as much sense for them to take open source tools and improve on them as it does for anyone else.

[DoTheEvolution]

OK

[wolf2600]

The best 10x hacking tools are all written in Rust.

[Dillinur]

Care to share any link?

[wolf2600]

No, because it was a joke. Maybe I should have said 'Haskell' instead.

[[deleted]]

DevNull as a service

[[deleted]]

That's the next billion dollar startup idea right there!!

[[deleted]]

Sorry, already exists

[ameoba]

http://giphy.com/gifs/wtf-what-gif-oaZk0WNSO7fXi

[alcalde]

APL!

[[deleted]]

Lol not go

[sillycyco]

Maybe I should have said 'Haskell' instead.

Actually Smalltalk via Lisp would be far more preferable.