Documentation Index

Welcome to the CTF Platform documentation. This directory contains comprehensive documentation for understanding, setting up, and deploying the platform.

Documentation Files

Architecture

Complete system architecture documentation including:

• High-level system design
• Component breakdown
• Data flow diagrams
• Technology stack
• Security considerations
• Deployment architecture (current and planned)

Read this first to understand how the system works.

API Documentation

Complete API reference including:

• All available endpoints
• Request/response formats
• Authentication flow
• Error handling
• Status codes
• Rate limiting notes (currently missing)

Use this when integrating with the API.

Setup Guide

Step-by-step setup instructions for:

• Prerequisites installation
• Backend setup
• Frontend setup (when available)
• Environment configuration
• Database setup
• Docker configuration
• Development workflow
• Common issues and solutions

Follow this to get the project running locally.

Security Documentation

Security considerations including:

• Current security measures
• Critical security gaps (CORS, rate limiting, database exposure)
• Security recommendations
• Security checklist
• Incident response procedures
• Best practices

Review this before production deployment.

Quick Navigation

For Developers

1. Start with Setup Guide to get the project running
2. Read Architecture to understand the system
3. Reference API Documentation when building features

For DevOps/Deployment

1. Review Architecture for deployment architecture
2. Check Security Documentation for security requirements
3. Follow Setup Guide for production setup

For Security Auditors

1. Read Security Documentation for security gaps
2. Review Architecture for security architecture
3. Check API Documentation for API security

Important Notes

Before Production Deployment:

1. CORS: Not configured - must be added for frontend communication
2. Rate Limiting: Not implemented - critical for preventing abuse
3. Database Security: Database is exposed until AWS migration

See Security Documentation for details and mitigation steps.

Architecture Overview

Frontend (React, S3 + CloudFront) → Backend API (EC2) → MongoDB + Docker

The platform consists of:

• Frontend: React user interface
• Backend: Express.js API server
• Database: MongoDB for persistent storage
• Docker: Container orchestration for CTF challenges

Key Features

• JWT-based authentication
• Dynamic Docker container management
• Flag submission
• Automatic cleanup of expired instances

Getting Started

1. Read the Setup Guide
2. Follow the installation steps
3. Configure your environment
4. Start the backend server
5. (When available) Start the frontend

Contributing

When adding new features:

1. Update relevant documentation files
2. Update API documentation for new endpoints
3. Review security implications

Questions?

If you have questions or find issues in the documentation:

1. Check the relevant documentation file
2. Review the code comments
3. Check the main README