Question 1

What is the cost of OSED / EXP-301 in India in 2026?

Accepted Answer

OffSec EXP-301 + 90-day lab + exam bundle is ~₹1,70,000. Macksofy's package — official course + CTF practice and exploit walkthroughs — is ₹1,45,000 (15% off, EMI available).

Question 2

How hard is OSED compared to OSCP+?

Accepted Answer

Significantly harder for most students. OSED requires fluent x86 / x64 assembly, IDA Pro / WinDbg comfort and patience for multi-day reverse-engineering sessions. Plan for 4–6 months of preparation post-OSCP.

Question 3

Do I need OSCP+ before OSED?

Accepted Answer

Strongly recommended. OSCP+ teaches you to use exploits; OSED teaches you to write them. Without OSCP-level pen-test maturity the EXP-301 lab is overwhelming. Macksofy gates entry to the OSED bootcamp on OSCP completion or equivalent experience.

Question 4

OSED vs SANS GREM vs SANS GXPN — which exploit-dev cert?

Accepted Answer

OSED is OffSec's stamp on Windows user-mode exploit dev — strong, hands-on, mid-cost. SANS GREM is reverse-engineering-focused (malware). SANS GXPN is offensive-security-research-focused with broader scope. OSED has the best price-to-recognition ratio for vulnerability researchers in India.

Question 5

What is the OSED exam format?

Accepted Answer

48-hour proctored hands-on exam against custom Windows binaries. You must reverse-engineer the targets, identify exploitable bugs and deliver working exploits with custom shellcode + ROP chains. A professional report is required.

Question 6

What jobs and salaries does OSED unlock in India and UAE?

Accepted Answer

Exploit Developer (₹20–40 LPA at 3+ years), Vulnerability Researcher (₹25–50 LPA at 4+ years), Senior Reverse Engineer (₹30 LPA+). Common employers: ZSCALER, Microsoft Security, Apple, F-Secure, Palo Alto, Indian VR boutiques and government research orgs.

Question 7

What's after OSED?

Accepted Answer

Two paths: (1) OSMR for macOS specialisation and senior vulnerability-research roles; (2) SANS GREM for malware-RE depth. Bug-bounty hunters often combine OSED with hardware-hacking specialisation.

Question 8

Is OSED self-paced or does Macksofy mentor it?

Accepted Answer

Both — OffSec's PDF + video curriculum is self-paced over 90 days, and Macksofy adds weekly mentor sessions, exploit walkthrough labs, two mock exams and a 1:1 weak-area review schedule.

Question 9

Does Macksofy run OSED cohorts outside Mumbai?

Accepted Answer

Yes — live online OSED cohorts pan-India for working professionals. Most OSED candidates are 3+ years into security careers and prefer the online + 1:1 mentor model.

OSED — Windows User Mode Exploit Development (EXP-301)

Outcomes — concrete, measurable.

13 modules. 90-day OffSec lab + 48-hour exam.

Module 01 · WinDbg and x86 Architecture

Module 02 · Exploiting Stack Overflows

Module 03 · Exploiting SEH Overflows

Module 04 · Introduction to IDA Pro

Module 05 · Overcoming Space Restrictions — Egghunters

Module 06 · Creating Custom Shellcode

Module 07 · Reverse Engineering for Bugs

Module 08 · Stack Overflows and DEP Bypass

Module 09 · Stack Overflows and ASLR Bypass

Module 10 · Format String Specifier Attack — Part 1

Module 11 · Format String Specifier Attack — Part 2

Module 12 · Trying Harder — The Labs (capstone)

Macksofy bootcamp · CTF practice & exploit walkthroughs

The same toolkit our consultants use on real engagements.

What roles open up after you complete this.

We don’t promise jobs. We open doors.

Things students ask before enrolling.

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH v13) — AI-Powered

CEH Practical — 6-Hour Lab Exam (312-50)

Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI v11)

Get a fixed-price proposal in 48 hours.

Role	Salary band	Experience
Exploit Developer	₹20–40 LPA	3+ years
Vulnerability Researcher	₹25–50 LPA	4+ years