Windows CNO Developer (BZ)

Legato, LLC recruiters (Staffing@legatocorp.com) would love to speak with you regarding the following position: Windows CNO Developer in Dulles, VA .

Security Clearance Required : TS/SCI minimum What You Will Do:

• Research, identify, and characterize Windows kernel vulnerabilities, including privilege escalation, sandbox escapes, and persistence mechanisms.
• Design, develop, and maintain CNO/CNE tools and capabilities targeting Windows platforms (kernel and user mode), from proof-of-concept to operational-grade capability.
• Perform advanced reverse engineering of Windows binaries, drivers, and system components to understand behavior, exploitability, and mitigation paths using tools like IDA Pro, Ghidra, and WinDbg.
• Develop kernel-mode and user-mode code in C/C++ and Assembly to implement implants, loaders, and exploit chains, with a focus on reliability and stealth.
• Create and test exploitation techniques for complex Windows targets, including bypasses for modern protections (ASLR, DEP, CFG, kernel mitigations), in partnership with cyber research teams.
• Integrate CNO capabilities into mission frameworks and tasking/dataflow pipelines, including configuration, logging, and secure communications.
• Conduct debugging and troubleshooting of low-level software in lab and operational-like environments, including crash triage and performance analysis.
• Collaborate closely with analysts, operators, and other engineers to align capabilities with mission requirements and provide technical guidance on feasibility and trade-offs.
• Produce clear technical documentation (designs, CONOPs, usage guides) and contribute to secure coding standards and internal best practices.

Our minimum requirements for this role:

• Active TS/SCI clearance.
• 7-10+ years of professional software development focused on low-level or systems programming, with significant experience on Windows.
• Demonstrated, hands-on Windows kernel vulnerability research experience: analyzing kernel internals, developing PoCs, and understanding exploitability and mitigations.
• Strong proficiency in C and C++, plus experience with Python for tooling/automation and x86/x64 Assembly for exploit and implant development.
• Deep understanding of Windows internals (kernel architecture, memory management, process/thread model, I/O, driver model, security mechanisms, and Windows APIs).