My Journey
From game development to cybersecurity - a timeline of my growth and achievements
2024
Game Development Era
I started my coding journey by building simple projects in Python, like making websites interactive or creating games like Pong with Pygame. These early projects taught me the fundamentals of programming and problem-solving.
In mid-2024, I transitioned to game development in C#, which taught me a lot about logic in software development and coding. Working with Unity and C# helped me understand object-oriented programming, game loops, and event-driven architecture.
I even wrote a comprehensive research paper on design principles for developing engaging games, which you can find on GitHub. This research explored UI/UX design, player psychology, feedback loops, monetization strategies, and marketing techniques for mobile games.
All my games were uploaded to my itch.io profile, where I learned about game distribution and community engagement.
Best Game: Yūrei
My best game would be Yūrei, a simple enemy bot (the yurei) which chases you and you need to win by finding an item. This game taught me about AI pathfinding, game mechanics, and creating engaging gameplay loops.
Game Development Showcase
Beginning 2025
Mobile App Development & First CTF
I started by following a tutorial on how to develop a mobile app with authentication and making a to-do list, which used Firebase as a database. This tutorial introduced me to mobile development, real-time databases, and user authentication systems.
I was very interested, so a few months later I decided to make two apps from scratch: StudieBuddie and TripCraft.
StudieBuddie
A student productivity app with task management, reminders, and study tracking. Integrated Firebase for real-time sync, authentication, and cloud storage. Also integrated Zermelo API for automatic class schedule syncing for European students.
Live on the App Store
TripCraft
An AI-powered packing list generator using Hugging Face's Mistral-7B. Integrated travel journaling and essential travel tools including currency converter, unit converter, and time zone converter.
Live on the App Store
This phase taught me how to market, create, and build my own apps from scratch. This is where I actually learned real-world app development, including App Store submission, user feedback, and iterative improvement.
Later, I developed more web apps since mobile apps are similar to web apps, expanding my skillset to full-stack development.
First CTF: picoCTF
I participated in my first CTF: picoCTF. I kept playing more and more CTFs (more details on /ctfs). This very first CTF introduced me to hacking and showed up more later in the year. It was my introduction to cybersecurity challenges, cryptography, web exploitation, and reverse engineering.
Mid 2025
Cybersecurity Certifications & Hack The Box
I focused on creating projects, which are on GitHub, and making two certifications: CompTIA Security+(passed in July 2025) and eJPT (passed in November 2025). I successfully passed both of these certifications, validating my cybersecurity knowledge.
CompTIA Security+
Passed in July 2025. This certification validated my foundational knowledge in cybersecurity concepts, risk management, and security operations.
eJPT (eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester)
Passed in November 2025. This certification focused on practical penetration testing skills and hands-on experience with real-world scenarios.
I also started playing a lot of Hack The Box. I participated in Season 8 (May-August 2025) and Season 9 (September-December 2025).
Hack The Box Season 9 Achievement
For Season 9, I was placed 17th in the Netherlandsand placed 1552nd worldwide (out of 9850 competitors). I competed by playing Hack The Box machines varying in multiple difficulties, from Easy to Hard. This achievement demonstrated my growing skills in penetration testing, web exploitation, privilege escalation, and various attack vectors.
I made a lot of my write-ups on Medium and also on my website (those are on the /writeups page). These write-ups documented my learning process, exploitation techniques, and solutions to various challenges.
So I focused on getting these two first certifications and hacking a lot, which taught me a lot about hacking, security research, and offensive security techniques.
CTF Competitions
- • June 2025: Participated in the Hack The Box Bug Bounty CTF, which taught me more about web hacking, bug bounty methodologies, and finding vulnerabilities in web applications.
- • July 2025: Participated in L3akCTF 2025 and DownUnderCTF 2025, further expanding my experience in different types of cybersecurity challenges.
Late 2025
Professional Growth & Internship
I kept developing and hacking, continuously improving my skills in both software development and cybersecurity.
PicoMini 2025 - 2nd Place
I participated in PicoMini 2025 and got placed second. This was a significant achievement that demonstrated my problem-solving skills and cybersecurity knowledge in a competitive environment.
I also got an internship at BreachLock, starting in December 2025. I'm currently doing that internship (it's January 2026).
BreachLock Internship
Cybersecurity Intern at BreachLock Netherlands, contributing to development projects focused on building security-driven automation solutions. Working at the intersection of software development and cybersecurity, applying coding expertise and hands-on experience from hacking challenges to real-world environments.
Transitioning into penetration testing within the NL team after completing development assignments, with a focus on identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities.
I plan to keep doing this internship and then later move onto more cool stuff! The experience has been invaluable in bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world cybersecurity work.
2026 & Beyond
The Journey Continues...
Continuing to grow, learn, and build. The journey is just getting started!
I'm currently continuing my internship at BreachLock, working on exciting projects that combine my passion for software development and cybersecurity. I'm always looking for new challenges, learning opportunities, and ways to contribute to the security community.