Final answer:
Shellcode must be position-independent to ensure it can execute correctly regardless of its location in memory, using relative addressing methods without fixed memory locations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Shellcode has to be position-independent, which means it cannot contain any absolute address referring to itself. This is necessary because when shellcode is executed, its exact location in memory is not known in advance; its position can vary each time it is run.
Thus, shellcode is typically written using relative addressing methods to ensure it can operate correctly regardless of where it is loaded in memory.
This approach is especially important in exploitation techniques where the exact memory layout is unpredictable. Using relative addresses allows the shellcode to find and execute its payload without relying on fixed memory locations.