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Top 10 National 48 hours

Operation Cerrojo

Full Stack Developer

Banking data and identity protection system for stolen mobile devices.

ReactNode.jsMobile SecurityAPI Integration

The Context

Peru Hub Digital Universitario 2025 — A 48-hour national hackathon focused on cybersecurity, organized for universities across the country.

We participated as a team of 5 students + 1 advisor, competing against universities from all regions.

The Problem

When your phone is stolen, beyond losing the device, you face serious risks:

  • Access to banking apps and potential money theft
  • Identity theft through stored documents
  • Access to personal accounts (email, social media)
  • The weakest link is the user: weak passwords, configured biometrics

The Solution: Operation Cerrojo

A protection system that combines technical prevention with user education:

Components

  1. Protection App: Remote blocking of sensitive apps
  2. Theft Alert: Automatic notification to emergency contacts
  3. Educational Module: Personalized security tips
  4. Dashboard: Device security level visualization

The Differentiator

We don’t just protect the device — we educate the user. Most security breaches are due to human errors, not technical ones.

My Role

As the team’s Full Stack Developer:

  • Built the user interface with React
  • Implemented secure validations in the Node.js backend
  • Integrated security service APIs
  • Coordinated the system’s technical architecture

Technical Details

Stack

  • Frontend: React with mobile-first design
  • Backend: Node.js with Express
  • Authentication: JWT + refresh tokens
  • Database: PostgreSQL

Security Implemented

  • End-to-end encryption for sensitive data
  • Rate limiting to prevent brute force attacks
  • Audit logs for event tracking

Result

🏆 Top 10 National Finalist

We competed against universities from all over Peru and reached the national final, demonstrating that our solution was viable and relevant.

Key Learnings

“Cybersecurity is about identity and privacy, not just information.”

This hackathon taught me that:

  1. The user is the weakest link — the best technology fails if the user isn’t educated
  2. 48 hours are enough to build something functional if the team is aligned
  3. Presentation matters as much as code — knowing how to communicate your solution is key