Phalanx Cyber Academy
A gamified cybersecurity training platform featuring Red Team vs. Blue Team simulations, XP progression, and scenario-based learning aligned with MITRE ATT&CK techniques. Architected for up to 50,000 monthly active users with 110 REST API endpoints.
The problem
Students learning cybersecurity lacked a structured, safe environment to practice Red Team and Blue Team tactics with measurable progress, feedback, and real-world attack/defense scenarios.
Role & responsibilities
Lead developer. Directed a 4-member team across 20 weekly Iterative and Incremental SDLC cycles, owned architecture, task delegation, code reviews, REST API design, deployment, and technical documentation.
Architecture
Flask backend with JavaScript and Tailwind CSS frontend; PostgreSQL (Supabase) for user data, challenges, and progress; Vercel for frontend hosting; 110 REST endpoints built for a 50,000-MAU architecture.
Key features
- Gamified challenges with XP progression and MITRE ATT&CK-aligned scenarios
- Passwordless email authentication with role-based access control
- Argon2 hashing, CSRF protection, secure session management, and IP-based account lockout
- Leaderboards, scenario difficulty scaling, and real-time feedback
- ISO 25010 and ISO 27001 validation by 246 students and 5 cybersecurity experts
Outcomes
110
REST API endpoints
246
students evaluated the platform
5
cybersecurity experts validated the system
Stack
PythonFlaskJavaScriptTailwind CSSPostgreSQLSupabaseVercel