Programming – Page 2 – Scriptingthewhy.com

Why You Should Get Yourself a Job with Legacy Programming Languages

Key Takeaways

“Old” languages are still relevant: FORTRAN, COBOL, and Pascal continue to play crucial roles in specific domains.
FORTRAN: Excels in scientific computing and high-performance computing.
COBOL: Remains essential in financial systems for handling large datasets and transactions.
Pascal: Influenced modern languages and continues to be used in education.
Career opportunities exist: Skilled programmers in these languages are in demand and can command competitive salaries.
Learning value: Studying these languages provides valuable insights into the history and foundations of computer science.
Evolving landscape: While newer languages are dominant, maintaining legacy systems built on older languages creates ongoing demand for programmers.

AI-generated image. “PEOPLE, PLEASE REMAIN CALM! AI CAN’T TAKE OUR JOBS IF WE LEARN HOW TO PROGRAM BETTER!”

Come one, come all! Welcome back to yet another exciting reason why you should get ahead of the AI threat. We all know AI is on the brink of taking everyone’s job. Everywhere you look you can find someone shouting out loud and not-so-proud; “THEY TOOK OUR JOBS!” Well, in today’s read (which may not help you since AI can program as well) we’re going to over the programming languages of old. Yes, that’s right, in an effort to protect our future, we first must learn about their past. What languages did they speak? Are they still being used today? Could you get a job today using these languages? Are all questions we seek to answer. Let us begin.

Are “Old” Programming Languages Still Relevant?

You might be surprised to learn that some of the oldest programming languages are still very much alive and kicking! While the tech world is constantly buzzing about the latest shiny new languages like Python and JavaScript, languages like FORTRAN, COBOL, and Pascal have a rich history and continue to play crucial roles in various industries.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

FORTRAN: Born in the 1950s, FORTRAN (FORmula TRANslation) was a pioneer, designed for scientific and engineering calculations. It excels in number-crunching tasks, making it indispensable in fields like weather forecasting, financial modeling, and high-performance computing. For example, its ability to handle complex mathematical computations with high precision and efficiency is why it’s still used in scientific research and engineering projects.
COBOL: This “Common Business Oriented Language” was specifically created for business applications. Think handling massive datasets, managing financial transactions, and powering the back-end systems of many large corporations. You might be surprised to know that millions of lines of COBOL code are still in use today! It’s the backbone of many banking systems, where reliability and extensive processing capabilities are crucial.
Pascal: While perhaps less prominent in industry, Pascal played a significant role in computer science education. Its structured approach to programming influenced many modern languages and helped shape how we teach programming concepts. Universities and colleges often used Pascal to introduce students to the fundamentals of programming due to its clear syntax and structured programming principles.

AI-generated image. “We don’t stand a chance if I don’t learn these programming languages. Why do I have to be the chosen one?”

Are They Still Used Today?

Well, the short answer is…yes. Absolutely!

FORTRAN: Remains a powerhouse in scientific computing and high-performance computing. Its ongoing relevance is due to its specialized libraries and tools that support extensive mathematical and engineering calculations. This language continues to evolve, with versions like Fortran 90 and Fortran 2008 bringing modern features to the table.
COBOL: Continues to underpin critical business systems, especially in finance. COBOL’s strength lies in its ability to process large volumes of transactions with accuracy and reliability. Efforts to modernize COBOL include integrating it with contemporary technologies and updating its syntax to make it more accessible to today’s programmers.
Pascal: While its direct use might have declined, its influence on other languages and its role in education remain significant. For instance, Object Pascal (Delphi) carries forward the legacy of Pascal in a modern object-oriented form, used in both desktop and mobile app development.

Can You Still Make Money with Them?

You can make money with any language but apparently companies are willing to pay big bucks. So, the answer is, yet again. Yes, you can!

Skilled FORTRAN programmers: are highly sought after in sectors like scientific research and high-performance computing, often commanding competitive salaries. Their expertise is invaluable in maintaining and developing high-precision applications for academia and industry.
COBOL programmers: who can maintain and modernize existing systems are in high demand, especially in the financial industry. These programmers ensure the seamless operation of critical financial transactions and data processing tasks, making them indispensable in the banking and insurance sectors.

AI-generated image. “You know the more time I spend programming a computer, the more I realize they’re right. It is time for a change.”

The Evolving Programming Landscape

While newer languages like Python and JavaScript dominate many areas today, the need to maintain and modernize legacy systems built on older languages creates a continuous demand for programmers proficient in these languages. Understanding these foundational languages also provides deeper insights into the development of programming paradigms and practices over the decades.

Should You Learn Them?

Learning older languages can provide valuable insights into the foundations of computer science. If you’re interested in scientific computing, finance, or working with legacy systems, learning FORTRAN or COBOL could open up unique career opportunities. Additionally, the structured thinking and problem-solving skills developed through Pascal can be beneficial across various programming tasks.

In Conclusion

While the tech world is constantly evolving, older programming languages like FORTRAN, COBOL, and Pascal continue to play important roles. They demonstrate the enduring power of robust, well-designed languages and remind us that the history of computing is deeply intertwined with their development and evolution. The knowledge and expertise in these languages remain valuable assets in the ever-changing tech landscape. And with all of that being said, should you learn any of these languages? Or a language in general? Yeah, I mean people should learn something new every day. Learning a programming language, if any, places you above someone who doesn’t know the language. Remember your goal is to standout in the job market, not to blend in.

Disclaimer: This script is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or career advice.

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Programming, Tech

Navigating the Nervous Waters of Coding

Daily writing prompt

What makes you nervous?

View all responses

AI-generated image. “This code is going well…a little too well.”

The Code Creep: Why Every Line Can Feel Like a Tightrope Walk

What makes me nervous? You might think it’s a looming deadline or a particularly gnarly algorithm. And while those definitely get the heart racing, the real source of my coding jitters? It’s the act of coding itself.

Yeah, you heard that right. I absolutely love the process, the puzzle-solving, the feeling of building something from scratch. But with every new line I type, there’s this little nagging voice in the back of my head, a digital gremlin whispering doubts. It’s the anticipation, the hope that hours of work won’t just implode into a cascade of red error messages.

Thinking back, my coding journey started a bit before the world went sideways with the pandemic. Honestly, I hit a point where I felt… stagnant. Like my potential was being deliberately capped. It’s that frustrating feeling when you realize the system isn’t exactly designed to empower you to grow beyond a certain point.

So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. The unexpected downtime of the pandemic actually became my catalyst, a chance to hunker down and learn a skill that could truly unlock new horizons. And that’s how I fell down the glorious, sometimes terrifying, rabbit hole of coding.

The Universal Developer Dread: It’s Not Just Me, Right?

Here’s the thing you might not realize: this nervous energy isn’t some quirky personal trait. Talk to any developer, and they’ll likely nod in grim agreement. We’re constantly battling error codes, those digital slaps in the face that make you question your entire existence (or at least your coding prowess). You think dealing with a disappointed parent is tough? Try facing a computer throwing a tantrum of syntax errors.

But it’s what happens after the initial barrage of errors that truly gets under our skin. It’s that eerie calm when the error messages start to dwindle, when your code actually starts to… work. That’s when the shadow of doubt really creeps in. It’s almost too good to be true.

We’ve all been there, thinking, “Okay, something’s definitely about to break spectacularly.” It’s a collective developer anxiety. So, how do we cope with this constant underlying tension? We do what we do best: we code more. We dive deeper, hoping that with each additional line, we’re solidifying our creation against the inevitable digital gremlins.

AI-generated image. “Mario may have leveled up from these…but I don’t suggest you eat them. They could inspire a “bad trip.””

Leveling Up Your Confidence: Taming the Coding Nerves

So, what’s the secret to keeping those coding nerves in check? Honestly, it boils down to building trust in your abilities. It’s about accepting that debugging and problem-solving aren’t just occasional annoyances; they’re integral parts of the process. Think of it less as a sign of failure and more as a constant opportunity to learn and refine your skills.

It’s about learning to be strategically on guard, anticipating potential pitfalls, and developing the mental resilience to tackle them head-on. Every bug squashed, every error resolved, is a small victory that builds your confidence and quiets that nervous inner voice, just a little bit more each time.

So, fellow coders, know that you’re not alone in this exhilarating, sometimes nerve-wracking journey. Embrace the challenge, trust your skills, and keep on building. The digital world awaits!

Key Takeaways:

Coding can be a source of anxiety: Despite the love for the craft, the constant potential for errors creates a persistent sense of nervousness for many developers.
The fear of things going “too well” is real: After battling numerous errors, a period of smooth coding can actually induce anxiety, as developers anticipate an impending issue.
Coding skills were a proactive pursuit: The author’s journey into coding was driven by a desire for growth and a feeling of being held back in previous environments.
Error debugging is a universal developer experience: Facing and resolving errors is a fundamental and shared aspect of being a developer.
Coping involves continuous coding: Developers often deal with their anxieties by immersing themselves further in their work, hoping to solidify their code.
Building trust in one’s skills is crucial: Overcoming coding nervousness involves developing confidence in your abilities to problem-solve and debug.
Problem-solving is an integral part of development: Debugging isn’t seen as a failure but as a necessary and ongoing aspect of the coding process.
Strategic vigilance is key: Learning to anticipate potential problems and being prepared to address them is important for managing coding anxieties.

Cloud Talk, Programming, Security, Tech

The RedClouds Are Coming!

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I TOLD YOU ALL TO READ THESE SCRIPTS AND ONW THE REDS ARE COMING! WHY DIDN’T YOU SUBSCRIBE LIKE YESTERDAY!?
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Here we go again, with a well-known product and manufacturer comes the threat of great risk. This one is especially true if you part take in the use of Dells’ computers.

Information stealing malware isn’t anything new but with the current economy and threat actors wanting your information, the use of them has been on the rise.

We’re going to look at what kind of attack this is, who is using it, the functionality and effects upon release, and what are some ways you can at least try to keep your information safeguarded from this erection of threats.

Guys, we’re just serving up malware and trojans today. I hope you’re cool with that.
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The Attack

The newest and hottest malware on the market looking to capture the heart of your data and forward it to the hands of someone else is called RDStealer. RDStealer does this by infecting the RDP server and watching the connections taking place.

For those unfamiliar with RDP, which is Remote Desktop Protocol, this is the network connection protocol that was offered by Microsoft, its purpose is to allow users to perform remote operations on other computers.

There has been some confusion about RDP vs VPN (Virtual Private Network) but in an effort to clear things up the difference is this, VPNs offer access to all resources on the network, these are items like file servers, printers, and company/organization websites meanwhile RDP offers only access to the resources on the given computer it’s connected to. In short, VPN access the network, and RDP access the computer.

There’s trouble on the horizon…or on the curve depending on how you view the Earth.
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Who Can It Be Now

At the moment of its “RedClouds” campaign, there is no one individual or group named for making use of RDStealer. However, while it’s campaigning its RedClouds, the malware will run a check to see if it detects a remote machine connected to a server and CDM (Client Drive Mapping). If “Enabled client drive mapping” is not enabled, then the client will deny the connection to the client’s file system. Meaning no check, no go.

RDStealer can collect keystrokes, and copy information from the clipboard data, and another dangerous thing to note is that it can target regardless of being client or server-side. When a network is infected, files in both “%WinDir%\System32%” and %PROGRAM-FILES% are filled in and could be filled with files and folders that could be excluded in a full-system scan.

This means these malicious files could hide under the radar during a scan. Afterward, there are a number of attack vectors, aside from the CDM, RDStealer can begin from web advertisements, email attachments, and social engineering methods. Moreover, like your hair, if you have any, don’t let your guard down as there will likely be more variety in the days to come.

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Geez, I could never be a hacker. There’s so many things to choose from.
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The Sinking Feeling

Speaking on variety, it has been noted that threat actors use a custom version of this malware which utilizes the redirection feature which is done by watching the RDP connection and auto stealing from the local drives once a connection is made.

There are five modules that make up RDStealer which are a keylogger, persistence establisher, data theft, and exfiltration staging model, a clipboard content capturing tool, and one controlling encryption/decryption functions, logging, and file manipulation utilities.

Out of all this just know that it’s recording every move made and can possibly deny access to certain information via encryption. Once activated the malware enters an infinite loop calling the “diskMounted” function, this checks the availability of the drives on the tsclient network shares.

If the malware finds any connection, it then notifies the command-and-control (C2) server and begins pulling data from the connection with the RDP client. This is that “having a roommate who is a few months behind on rent move out and take a couple of your belongings before they go” kind of situation.

Just be aware, things may be a tad bit different the next time you turn your computer on.

If the Reds are coming, then it’s time for some Blue team action. All about the Blues baby.
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The Prevention

It is safe to assume that if you have used a remote desktop via RDP that at some junction your system has been exposed to the RedClouds campaign.

It is hard to catch RDStealer manually, but you can better protect your system by using tighter security protocols and performing full-system scans often. While it has been noted this malware particularly goes after Dell computers given that it is coded to run in the Dell directories it is best practice to exercise caution while on the web. Using a 2MFA (Multi-factor Authentication) when abled as this will make it less appealing for threat actors because they have more to try to work around. And finally, encryption of your information is a must as this also helps ward off threats like RDStealer. Your information may be in the cloud but that doesn’t mean RedClouds should have unauthorized access to it.

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Do you feel like there is something I may have missed on RDStealer? Script a comment below.