Privacy Policy

Overview

ExplainTheHack is a web-based educational platform for offensive security concepts and interview preparation. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and who we share it with. We collect only what is necessary to provide the service and process payments.

What we collect

• Email and account information: your email address, name, and authentication data, managed by Clerk. This is collected when you create an account and is used to identify you and manage your access.
• Payment information: billing details are processed directly by Stripe. We do not store credit card numbers, bank account details, or other payment credentials on our servers.
• Study progress and usage data: lesson completions, flagged lessons, quiz results, and flashcard progress. If you are signed in, this data is stored securely in our database (Supabase) so it syncs across your devices. If you are not signed in, it is stored locally in your browser and stays on your device.

How we use your data

• Account management: to create and maintain your account, authenticate your sessions, and manage your subscription status.
• Progress tracking: to save and sync your study progress so you can pick up where you left off.
• Product improvement: to understand how the platform is used and make it better. We do not sell your data or use it for advertising.

Third-party services

We use the following services to operate ExplainTheHack:

• Clerk — authentication and user management. Privacy policy
• Stripe — payment processing. Your payment information is handled entirely by Stripe. Privacy policy
• Supabase — database for study progress storage (signed-in users only). Privacy policy
• Vercel — hosting and deployment. Privacy policy

These services may collect technical data (such as IP addresses and browser information) as part of their normal operation. Each has its own privacy policy linked above.

Cookies

We use essential cookies for authentication sessions managed by Clerk. We do not use advertising, analytics, or tracking cookies.

Data retention

Account data is retained while your account is active. Study progress data is retained as long as your account exists. If you delete your account, your authentication data is removed from Clerk and your study progress is deleted from our database. Payment records are retained by Stripe as required by financial regulations.

Your rights

You can request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data at any time by contacting us. You can delete your account through your account settings or by emailing us. We will respond to data requests within 30 days.

Children

ExplainTheHack is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can remove it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by updating the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.

Contact

For privacy-related questions, email support@explainthehack.com.