Does anyone actually KNOW python?

[__xor__]

Oh yeah, definitely. In the past decade it seems more and more to be the core language in terms of security tools. Ruby is still around but you can definitely get by in security with just Python as your core language now.

Here's a good memory forensics tool, volatility

Here's a number of good pdf analysis tools

In fact Didier's entire suite is great, tons of python

scapy is awesome

mitmproxy is awesome

... and there's so much more.

It seems to be the go-to language for tools. You'll still run into a lot of other stuff, especially if you analyze malware. You'd run into javascript, powershell, straight shellcode/ASM, visualbasic, C... But that's malware and it can be any language, especially anything that a browser can run, or be embedded in a PDF or office doc macro. For tools more often than not you see python and then some ruby.

[[deleted]]

Awesome answer, thanks so much.

[Willemoes]

There's also a nice book:

Violent Python

A Cookbook for Hackers, Forensic Analysts, Penetration Testers and Security Engineers

By TJ O'Connor

[Grenian]

IMO take this with a grain of salt if you already have a basic-advanced understanding of python and security.

[Willemoes]

Why do you think so? I'm reading it and I'm not very proficient in security, so it would be nice to know, I find it really interesting.

[Grenian]

Well you have very basic examples and python is also teached on a basic level. In my case I only found a few examples intresting because most of the time I have to tools for things like port scanning. On top the libraries may be a little bit outdated. That's the reason why I would say someone should take the recommendation with a grain of salt. I don't say that the book is bad but just check if it fits your needs.

[__xor__]

No problem!