What is an exploit developer?

1. Can you explain what a buffer overflow is and how you would exploit it?
2. How would you prevent a return-to-libc attack?
3. Describe a time when you had to bypass ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization). What approach did you use?
4. Explain the concept of a race condition vulnerability.
5. What is ROP (Return-Oriented Programming), and how can it be used in exploit development?
6. Can you discuss a specific exploitation technique you have used in the past?
7. What tools do you use for reverse engineering, and why?
8. How do you stay updated on the latest security vulnerabilities?
9. Describe the process you follow for responsible disclosure.

1. Imagine you've found a zero-day vulnerability in a widely used software package. What steps do you take?
2. You need to test a piece of software for vulnerabilities, but you have no documentation. How do you proceed?
3. How would you conduct a penetration test on a new IoT device?

1. Given a piece of vulnerable code, identify the vulnerability and outline how you would exploit it.
2. How would you approach a situation where traditional exploitation methods are not working due to strong security measures?
3. If you had to prioritize, would you focus on developing a new exploit for a less critical vulnerability or finding a new attack vector for a critical one?

1. Tell me about a challenging exploit development project you worked on. What was your role, and what was the outcome?
2. Describe a time when you had to work under pressure to meet a security-related deadline.
3. How do you ensure that your work as an exploit developer does not cross ethical or legal boundaries?

1. Can you list common security defenses that modern operating systems employ and how they complicate exploit development?
2. What is a use-after-free vulnerability, and what makes it dangerous?
3. Explain the difference between a local and a remote exploit.

1. We give you a piece of software with known vulnerabilities. Can you demonstrate an exploit against it?
2. Provide an example of a time when you had to reverse engineer a piece of software. What did you learn from it?

An exploit developer is a professional tasked with the identification and exploration of vulnerabilities within software and systems. They aim to enhance security by writing code, known as exploits, which demonstrate the exploitability of a vulnerability. These developers play a key role in improving software security by disclosing vulnerabilities responsibly to vendors, contributing to the safety of end-users, and educating the community on security best practices.

The estimated total pay for an exploit developer is around $121,157 per year in the United States, with an average base salary of approximately $103,679 per year.

To become an exploit developer, one should have a solid foundation in computer science, understand common vulnerabilities, study existing exploits, learn reverse engineering, build tool skills, stay updated on cybersecurity trends, pursue relevant certifications, engage in networking, and commit to continuous learning.

Exploit developers are critical for identifying and understanding system vulnerabilities to prevent their exploitation by malicious actors. They are crucial in the responsible disclosure process, development of fixes and mitigations, raising security awareness, and contributing to secure system design and threat management.

Related job titles include penetration tester, vulnerability researcher, security researcher, reverse engineer, malware analyst, and security consultant.

Benefits include high demand in the job market, competitive salaries, significant impact on organizational security, the opportunity to build a strong professional reputation, ethical satisfaction, flexible remote work options, career advancement, and contributing to a safer digital world.