Ever wondered about that six-digit code your authenticator app displays? The one that changes every 30 seconds? That’s TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password), and it’s one of the most elegant pieces of security technology we use every day. The Problem with Passwords Traditional username-password authentication is inherently vulnerable. Even with complex passwords containing letters, numerals, and symbols, a single data breach from an inadequately secured server or a malicious observer looking over your shoulder can expose your credentials and grant unlimited access to your account. ...

Cybersecurity is as much about persistence as it is about technical skill. I recently participated in TCS HackQuest Season 10 (held on December 13, 2025). The competition was intense, featuring a total of 14 challenges ranging from steganography and reverse engineering to web exploitation and binary analysis. Despite some technical hurdles with the server in the final hours, I managed to successfully solve 11 out of the 14 questions. This writeup provides a brief breakdown of my approach and the logic used to solve each challenge. ...

Hi, I’m Ashish. This is my blog, where I: Document my journey in coding, security, and projects Share writeups of CTF challenges, experiments, and bypasses Explain technical concepts like TOTP, credit card verification, and system internals Record my projects, and everything else This is a space to learn, reflect, and maybe help someone along the way. Posts range from mini-experiments to full project deep dives. Welcome!

I participated in the Cloudsek 2025 CTF. Here are the challenges I solved: