Languages › Perl
Perl
RoadmapThe original power-regex language, still in the pipes.
Learning Path Available — Lessons Currently Being Developed
Overview
Perl built much of the early web and still runs critical glue scripts and legacy systems across enterprise and infrastructure. It is where PCRE was born, and its taint mode and embedded-code regex constructs are both a power and a danger. Learning Perl means being able to audit the legacy code others avoid.
Why learn Perl
- Legacy and infrastructure glue is still Perl — and still in scope.
- It is the origin of the regex features you use everywhere.
- Auditing old Perl is a skill few have and many engagements need.
Security applications
- Auditing legacy and infrastructure scripts
- Command injection in system glue
- Regex-based code execution constructs
- CGI and old web application review
- Understanding taint mode
Planned curriculum
- Perl syntax and sigils
- Reading legacy scripts
- Command injection patterns
- The power and danger of Perl regex
- Embedded-code regex constructs
- Taint mode and safety
- Auditing CGI applications
- Modernizing or replacing old Perl
This path is on the roadmap. The four live courses (Python, JavaScript, Bash, Regex) will teach you most of what carries over.