Inspiration
What it does ## Inspiration
Phishing attacks and online scams are becoming more convincing every day, often targeting students, everyday internet users, and people who might not have a background in cybersecurity. I wanted to create PhishCatch to bridge that gap—giving users an easy, accessible tool to learn how to spot red flags and protect themselves online before falling into a trap.
What it does
PhishCatch helps users identify and analyze suspicious emails, links, and messages. It breaks down the common indicators of phishing—such as deceptive domain names, urgent messaging, and fake login prompts—in a clear, beginner-friendly way so users can build safe online habits.
How I built it
- Design & Concepting: Drafted the user journey and interface layout using interactive design tools to keep the experience intuitive.
- Logic & Flow: Built out the core decision rules and warning triggers to help evaluate common phishing indicators.
- Documentation & Presentation: Created visual guides and a clean pitch deck to demonstrate how PhishCatch helps protect everyday users.
Challenges I ran into
Building a cybersecurity project solo meant balancing technical accuracy with simplicity. The biggest challenge was taking complex security concepts—like header analysis and URL manipulation—and explaining them in a way that is clear and actionable for non-technical users.
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
- Successfully completing a full project workflow end-to-end as a solo hacker!
- Designing a user-centered interface that focuses on cybersecurity education rather than overwhelming technical jargon.
What I learned
I gained hands-on experience in threat breakdown, user experience design for security tools, and how to effectively structure and scope a project under time constraints.
What's next for PhishCatch
- Adding an interactive "Spot the Phish" quiz mode to gamify learning.
- Expanding link detection to support browser extensions for real-time alerts.
