In recent years, one programming language has been gaining prominence in the web development community: Rust. As web technology evolves, many organizations are rethinking their language choices and adopting Rust as a viable option for their projects.
In this article, we’ll explore why so many companies have made this change in 2023 and what relevant indicators are driving this trend.
Rust: A Language on the Rise
Rust is a systems programming language developed by Mozilla, which stands out for its emphasis on security, performance and concurrency. Since its launch, Rust has won a firm place in the hearts of developers and has been widely adopted in many organizations.
Companies that use Rust
A striking indicator of Rust’s popularity is the list of well-known companies that have adopted it. Tech giants such as Mozilla, Amazon, Dropbox, Yelp, and Cloudflare are using Rust in several of their projects. These companies have seen the unique benefits that Rust offers in terms of security and performance, which has motivated them to make the transition.
Security first
Security is one of the main reasons why many companies are adopting Rust. The language was designed from the outset to avoid common programming errors, such as memory leaks and race conditions. This is particularly critical in web applications, where data security and threat protection are constant concerns.
Although Rust is widely praised for its emphasis on security and prevention of common programming vulnerabilities, no programming language is totally immune to cyber vulnerabilities.
Here are some of the main cyber vulnerabilities that can still affect projects developed in Rust:
- Leakage of Sensitive Information: Even in Rust, logic bugs can result in the leakage of sensitive information, such as login data or confidential user information. These bugs can occur if developers don’t apply proper data access checks.
- SQL injection: Although Rust is not prone to SQL injection attacks due to its secure type system, if the application interacts with SQL databases, programming errors or poorly designed libraries can open loopholes for these attacks.
- Vulnerable dependencies: Rust projects often depend on external libraries, and these libraries can contain security vulnerabilities. Keeping dependencies up to date and monitoring for known vulnerabilities is crucial to avoiding these threats.
- Buffer Overflow Attacks: Rust was designed to prevent buffer overflows, but in rare cases, bugs can occur that lead to this vulnerability. These overflows can allow malicious code to be executed.
- Reverse engineering attacks: Rust, like any other language, is not immune to reverse engineering attacks. High-value code can be targeted by reverse engineers looking to exploit vulnerabilities.
- Authentication and Authorization Failures: Rust does not automatically handle authentication and authorization problems. Implementing these functionalities securely is the responsibility of developers, and failures in this area can lead to security breaches.
- Denial of Service (DoS) attacks: Although Rust is designed for performance, projects can be susceptible to denial of service attacks if they are not adequately protected against traffic overloads or resource exploitation.
- Remote Code Execution (RCE): Although it is more difficult to occur in Rust due to the type system and rigorous verification, RCE vulnerabilities can still arise, especially if there is interaction with untrusted external code.
It is important to note that many of these vulnerabilities are not intrinsic to the Rust language, but are the result of programming errors, poor security practices or problems in third-party libraries. To avoid these threats, it is essential that developers adopt good security practices, carry out code reviews and keep up to date with the best cybersecurity practices in general. Rust, with its emphasis on security, is an excellent basis for building more secure applications, but ultimate security always depends on the decisions and actions of developers.
High-Octane Performance
Another decisive factor in choosing Rust is its performance. With an efficient memory management system and a highly optimized compiler, Rust allows developers to create faster and more resource-efficient web applications. This is especially important in an environment where speed of response is crucial.
Saving Time and Resources
In addition to security and performance, Rust also offers savings in time and resources. With its expressive syntax and robust development tools, developers can write cleaner, more maintainable code in less time. This translates into significant savings throughout the project lifecycle.
Active Community and Support
Another important indicator is the community around Rust. The language has an active and growing user base, with an abundance of resources, tutorials and libraries available. This makes it easy for companies to adopt Rust and find help when needed.
Adoption in Startups
It’s not just large companies that are adopting Rust; many startups are also following suit. Innovative startups are looking for competitive advantages, and Rust offers the promise of fast, secure and scalable development. As a result, we see an increasing number of startup projects implemented in Rust.
Firecracker: The Amazon Success Story
One notable example of success with Rust is Amazon’s Firecracker project. This virtualization technology, used to implement cloud-computing functions, is built in Rust. The choice of this language has allowed Amazon to deliver more secure and efficient virtualization solutions.
Firefox: A More Secure Browser
Firefox, one of the world’s most popular browsers, has adopted Rust in its code base, which has contributed to making it more secure and resistant to vulnerabilities. This demonstrates how even established products can benefit from the transition to Rust.
Relevant indicators
To better understand the adoption of Rust, it is crucial to look at some relevant indicators. In 2023, the number of job vacancies related to Rust grew substantially, reflecting the demand for developers with experience in the language. In addition, the number of open source projects developed in Rust is also on the rise, indicating the growing confidence in the language by the open source community.
Cyber Vulnerabilities in Rust
- Rust Security Advisory Database: A database of security vulnerabilities in Rust libraries and related projects.
- Common Rust Patterns: A guide highlighting common patterns in Rust, including those related to security.
- Rust Security Guidelines: Security guidelines provided in the official Rust language documentation.
- Rust Security: A website dedicated to resources and discussions about security in Rust.
Remember to check these resources periodically, as the Rust language and security best practices are always evolving. This will help you keep up to date with the latest trends and challenges related to the use of Rust in web technology.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, as the web technology landscape continues to evolve, the Rust language emerges as a solid choice for companies of all sizes. Its emphasis on security, performance and time-saving makes it an attractive option for developers and companies looking to create high-performance and secure web applications. With renowned companies and startups adopting Rust in their projects, the language promises a bright future in the world of web technology for years to come. So, it’s time to seriously consider whether Rust is the right choice for your next web development project.
How we can help
SAFEWAY, a Stefanini Group company, is an Information Security consultancy recognized by its clients for offering high value-added solutions through projects that fully meet the needs of the business. In 15 years of experience, we have accumulated several successful projects that have earned us credibility and prominence among our clients, most of whom are the 100 largest companies in Brazil.
Today, through 25 strategic partnerships with global manufacturers and our SOC, SAFEWAY is considered a one-stop shop with the best technology, process, and people solutions. We have both the technical skills and the experience necessary to help your company raise its level of maturity in cyber security by establishing processes for monitoring, managing, and responding to security incidents in order to identify and deal with threats and vulnerabilities in real time, while also ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements at national and international level. If you would like more information, please contact our experts!
