Exploits are snippets of code, usually in C or shell scripts, used to take advantage of a flaw in a program to open a security hole. The most common type is the buffer overflow, which basically involves throwing a lot of garbage into a program's memory buffer until it crashes, subsequently executing the code your exploit left on the stack. To understand this concept better, I recommend reading Smashing the Stack for Fun and Profit.

I am in the process of compiling a new and larger archive of exploits, so this section will be empty for the next few weeks. I will be organizing the exploits by operating system, as done before.

Until I finish the new archive, please visit these excellent exploit collections

Rootshell.com

Fyodor's Exploit World