The announcement of Black Hat Rust: Applied Offensive Security with the Rust Programming Language has ignited a spirited debate within the technical community about the role of Rust in offensive security and the broader implications of language-specific security tools.
Rust's Positioning in Security Tools Development
The community's response to the book's marketing claims, particularly about Rust's uniqueness in security tooling, has been mixed. While some developers appreciate Rust's potential benefits for security applications, others point out that the language's promotion sometimes crosses into hyperbole. The discussion reveals a nuanced reality about Rust's capabilities in the security space, especially when compared to established languages like C and Python.
It's highly opinionated so there's a cult-like element of an ingroup/outgroup... It's low-level enough that people feel 1337 for using it but not low-level enough to actually require low-level skills to use it.
Professional Security Tool Development Perspectives
Security professionals and developers have raised important points about the practical aspects of offensive security tools. Several commenters with experience in red team operations note that portability and system interoperability often favor interpreted languages and existing system utilities. The discussion highlights that while Rust offers memory safety benefits, working with system-level interfaces, particularly the Windows API, can require significant unsafe code blocks and development time.
Educational Value and Accessibility
The community has expressed interest in seeing sample chapters and more detailed content previews, drawing comparisons to established works like Black Hat Python and Red Team Field Manual. There's a particular focus on how the book might serve as a bridge for developers learning security concepts or security professionals learning Rust, though some debate exists about the effectiveness of language-specific security education.
Book Content Structure:
- Part I: Reconnaissance (Chapters 2-5)
- Part II: Exploitation (Chapters 6-9)
- Part III: Implant Development (Chapters 10-14)
Target Audience:
- Developers learning security
- Security engineers learning Rust
- Tool developers using Python, Ruby, C, Java
- Bug bounty program participants
Industry Impact and Professional Development
An interesting thread in the discussion centers on the professional implications of such educational resources. While some initially expressed skepticism about learning offensive security through books, experienced professionals countered this view, noting that many successful security practitioners, including those recruited by intelligence agencies, often start with fundamental computer science knowledge and build their security expertise through various learning resources.
The discussion reveals a broader tension in the security community between accessibility of knowledge and the depth of expertise required for professional work, while highlighting the ongoing evolution of security tools and the languages used to create them.
Reference: Black Hat Rust: Applied Offensive Security with the Rust Programming Language