Java is one of the most important pieces in any effective cybersecurity plan today.

Java was developed in 1995 as a general-purpose programming language. Despite its age, Java continues to be a popular choice among programmers, especially those who work in mobile app development and systems programming. Of course, as more newcomers start learning Java to break into the aforementioned fields, hackers and cybercriminals are also learning and refining their knowledge of the language.

As a result, cybersecurity professionals today need to understand how Java works and what its potential shortcomings are so they can defend themselves against attacks that may target this language’s vulnerabilities.

In this article, we walk you through just four of the many reasons why Java remains essential for cybersecurity professionals to master in 2021 and beyond.

Java is Established

Java is the most popular programming language in the world, with over 8 million programmers using it worldwide.

Learning this language is a great way to prepare yourself for the future. Because of Java’s enduring popularity, cybersecurity professionals need to know how Java works under the hood to protect against attacks.

Java is used by many organizations, especially those with large software infrastructures. Because many organizations are used to Java and have invested considerable resources in it, the friction of moving to newer languages like Python or Ruby will likely be too high—ensuring the continued popularity of Java for the foreseeable future.

Java’s shorter release cycle also gives it a leg up over other languages. Since 2018, Java has kept a 6-month new release cycle, allowing it to maintain the lead it has built over the last 26 years. This shorter turnaround between new versions allows Java to keep abreast of the latest cybersecurity threats.

Java is Popular Among Hackers

Conversely, Java’s continued popularity among large organizations makes it a prime tool among hackers as well.

Hackers use Java to implement attacks like buffer and stack overflows, as well as cross-site scripting (XSS), which uses scripts to seek out a website’s input flaws, allowing hackers a backdoor to take control.

Java can also be used to mimic attacks on both the server- as well as the client-side. It is also employed to build adware hacking programs that bog down a computer’s resources for malicious purposes.

Java is used for these attacks because it provides a lot of freedom to developers, allowing them to hatch exploits with relative ease.

Java’s popularity among organizations and hackers alike means that cybersecurity professionals need to be experts in Java to protect against these types of attacks.

Java is Secure by Default

One of Java’s greatest strengths when it comes to cybersecurity is its security-consciousness built into the design of its codebase right from version one in 1995.

Since then, the language’s security has only become more rigorous, cutting off potential cybersecurity shortfalls and vulnerabilities at the source.

Java includes an error checker within its compiler, which identifies potential security vulnerabilities in the code even before it’s run. Java can also recommend tweaks to improve a program and bolster its security.

The language also has a transparent allocation protocol that ensures the integrity of each program execution process. By helping programmers manage memory more efficiently, Java makes it hard for malware to utilize a program’s memory space to attack a system.

Because of these security features, many cybersecurity experts consider Java to be one of the most secure languages out there today.

However, this has not stopped hackers from learning how to exploit Java’s vulnerabilities and create malware that can avoid detection. Shoring up on Java allows cybersecurity professionals to learn how to identify and protect themselves against future attacks.

Java is at the Forefront of Programming Trends

As we noted earlier, Java continues to be a popular language despite its age. Trends have come and gone in the programming world, but Java has remained a constant presence.

It is one of the most common languages to develop mobile applications, for example.

Mobile apps and games have exploded in popularity in recent years, especially during the heyday of the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. The app market continues to grow exponentially, and Java-based development is the top choice for making these apps as secure as possible.

Microtransactions make it extremely profitable for hackers to attack mobile apps and games. With industry experts forecasting a continued boom in mobile app development, learning Java will help cybersecurity professionals protect their employers in this fast-growing market.

Java is also set to play a key role in the Internet of Things (IoT). A recent survey of IoT developers identified Java as the most important language to know in this field.

One of Java’s main advantages for IoT developers is its high portability. Developers can transport their Java code to any other devices or software with a pre-installed Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

Other burgeoning fields where Java is expected to play key roles are big data, self-driving vehicles, cloud computing, and augmented reality—all of which are sure to be profitable targets of hackers for years to come.

Java has been a popular programming language for decades, and its popularity is only growing as the world becomes more connected. The cybersecurity risks associated with Java are worth learning about if you’re looking to protect your company from hackers in every field of technology that’s likely to be profitable over the next decade.