Founder
Hackers School is led by Palash Oswal, a low-level security builder focused on kernel fuzzing, exploit craft, and the habits that make technical work compound instead of stall out.
The idea behind the program is straightforward: most builders plateau because nobody reviews their actual artifact. The goal here is to create a small, serious environment where exploit attempts, reproducers, and writeups get examined closely enough to improve the next rep.
Why Hackers School exists
Most people plateau in low-level security because nobody reviews their actual exploit attempts. The goal here is simple: do the work, get specific feedback, and build the habits that make your exploits more reliable.
Most security education gets wide before it gets useful. Builders consume tutorials, stack up challenge completions, and still have very little signal about whether their exploit logic is stable or whether their process is improving.
This program is designed as the opposite of that pattern. Smaller cohorts, bounded weekly work, and progression tied to submitted artifacts create a loop where technical judgment can actually sharpen over time.
The intention is not to be everything for everyone. The intention is to build a serious training environment for builders who already have some fluency and want their reps to count.
Background
Carnegie Mellon alumnus with research centered on Linux kernel fuzzing and low-level systems work.
Background
Contributor on CMU's Plaid Parliament of Pwning teams across DEF CON and MITRE eCTF wins.
Background
Official picoCTF problem writer with public artifacts spanning challenge work and kernel research.
Operating principles
Reviewed work
Hackers School exists because most low-level builders never get direct review on their exploit attempts, dead ends, or reasoning. The work only compounds when someone can tell you what is brittle and what is worth keeping.
Deliberate practice
The curriculum is intentionally narrow. Each track is designed around constrained weekly work, explicit submissions, and progression gates so members stop mistaking exposure for improvement.
Small cohorts
The founding cohort is capped because the promise only works if artifacts get thoughtful attention. This is not a giant content library with a chat room attached to it.
Public artifacts
The founder page should do more than make claims. These links give you a concrete way to inspect the work, research, and public footprint behind the program.
Artifact
Public profile with security projects, notes, and low-level tooling.
Artifact
Improving Linux Kernel Fuzzing.
Artifact
Open-source Linux kernel enriched corpus project.
Artifact
CMU coverage of the 2023 DEF CON title team that included Palash.
Artifact
Official picoCTF team page listing Palash as a problem writer.
What the program covers
CTF Foundations
Build a reliable operator workflow before touching advanced pwn chains.
Binary Exploitation
Move from debugger comfort to reliable exploit development under real mitigations.
Kernel Fuzzing
Generate, triage, and reduce kernel crashes into actionable research leads.
Kernel Pwn
Turn kernel bug classes into controlled privilege-escalation chains.
What accepted builders can expect
Submit a free application through secure Polar checkout.
Applications are reviewed against your background, current track, and mentor capacity.
Accepted applicants receive a separate invite to join at $25/month. First invites go out in August 2026, immediately after DEF CON 34, with founding pricing reserved for the first 10 accepted members.
The founding price is $25 /month for the first 10 accepted members, with reviewed weekly work and invites beginning in August 2026.
Next step
The strongest fit is still the same: builders with baseline fluency who want real low-level reps and direct feedback on the work they submit.