OpenAI 2026 hackathon

Sancheck

a secure middleware that identifies prompt injected urls and prevents them from getting to the codex agent

Solo project by Ibrahim Pima · 0 likes · 0 comments

Archive position — measured, not model output

0 likes on Devpost

2,264 of the 7,856 archived projects have more likes, and 5,592 share exactly 0 — so this project's #6,531 place in the like-ranked listing is a tie-break inside that group, not a ranking.

Projects (log scale)

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Likes on Devpost. ▲ marks this project's group.

Show the figures
LikesProjectsShare of archive
05,59271.2%
11,75822.4%
22853.6%
3–41321.7%
5–9751.0%
10+140.2%
Devpost like counts for all 7,856 archived projects, captured when this archive was built.

Executive Summary

Company: Sancheck

Self-reported basis: The description is entirely self-reported and unverified, based on an author-submitted write-up for the OpenAI 2026 hackathon. No external corroboration or historical data exists.

What it appears to be: A security tool that scans URLs for prompt injection risks in AI-assisted developer workflows, with a CLI and web UI. It is built using Codex and GPT-5.6, and includes middleware logic for URL validation and agent safety.

What changed: The project was submitted as part of a hackathon, suggesting it is early-stage or experimental. No evidence of prior development, funding, or commercial traction exists.

Single most important open question: Is there any evidence that this tool has been used in real AI-assisted workflows or integrated into developer environments?

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What The Product Actually Is

The description states that Sancheck is a secure middleware designed to identify prompt-injected URLs and prevent them from reaching the Codex agent. It performs live DNS checks, blocks private/reserved network targets, validates HTTPS/TLS, follows redirects safely, samples page content, detects prompt-injection patterns, and looks up domain age through RDAP.

It includes:

  • A CLI gate that scans direct URLs or extracts links from stdin (e.g., prompts, Markdown files).
  • A local web UI, built with Vite, React, and HeroUI primitives.
  • A Python-based scanner core using standard library tools for local execution.
  • A local Node server to bridge the UI to the Python scanner.

The tool is described as a pre-flight gate in AI-assisted developer workflows, where links are treated as executable instructions rather than simple strings.

Inference: The product appears to be a URL validation and safety tool for AI agents, not a general-purpose security scanner or phishing detection system.

Not evidenced: No evidence of actual deployment, usage, or integration into existing systems.

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Positioning & Claim Evolution

The author states that Sancheck was inspired by the gap in security tools that treat links as simple strings, while agent workflows treat them as instructions and executable next steps.

It positions itself as:

  • A pre-flight gate for AI-assisted developer workflows.
  • A tool that blocks private network targets by default, which is critical for agent safety.
  • A real-time scanner that avoids mocked verdicts, using real reputation providers when API keys are configured.

Claim: The tool addresses a specific risk in AI agent workflows — prompt injection via URLs.

Not evidenced: No evidence of market positioning, customer feedback, or competitive differentiation beyond the hackathon submission.

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Target Customer & ICP

The description implies that Sancheck targets:

  • AI-assisted developers who use tools like Codex or similar agents.
  • Organizations concerned with agent safety and prompt injection risks in workflows.

It is not clear if it targets:

  • End users, developers, or enterprise customers.
  • Specific industries (e.g., fintech, healthcare) or use cases beyond developer workflows.

Inference: The ICP likely includes developers or teams using AI agents in code-assisted environments.

Not evidenced: No evidence of target customer segmentation, personas, or adoption data.

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Business Model & Pricing Evidence

The description does not mention:

  • Any pricing model.
  • Revenue streams.
  • Monetization strategy.
  • Subscription tiers or licensing.

It only describes the tool’s functionality and architecture.

Not evidenced: No business model or pricing information is provided.

Inference: If commercialized, it might be sold as a middleware or CLI tool, possibly with optional API integrations for reputation providers.

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Technical & Delivery Signals

The project was built using:

  • Codex and GPT-5.6, which accelerated development of URL normalization logic, DNS resolution, TLS validation, HTTP client implementation, and prompt injection detection.
  • A Python core with standard library for local execution.
  • A local Node server to bridge the UI to the Python scanner.
  • A web UI built with Vite, React, and HeroUI primitives.

The tool:

  • Normalizes URLs.
  • Resolves DNS.
  • Applies SSRF protections.
  • Validates TLS.
  • Fetches bounded response samples.
  • Analyzes content for hostile agent instructions.
  • Outputs a weighted findings report in JSON format.

Inference: The architecture is lightweight and designed for local execution, with a clear middleware contract (stdin in, JSON out).

Not evidenced: No evidence of scalability, cloud deployment, or performance benchmarks.

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Traction & Maturity Signals

The project was submitted to the OpenAI 2026 hackathon, indicating it is:

  • Early-stage.
  • Experimental.
  • Possibly a prototype or proof-of-concept.

There is no evidence of:

  • Revenue.
  • Customers.
  • Product adoption.
  • Prior funding or team history.
  • Public usage or integration.

Not evidenced: No traction or maturity data beyond the hackathon submission.

Inference: The tool is likely in an early development or prototyping phase.

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Competitive Context

The description does not mention:

  • Competitors.
  • Existing tools in the URL safety or AI agent security space.
  • Market size or competitive positioning.

It only states that current security tools treat links as simple strings, while agent workflows treat them as executable instructions.

Not evidenced: No competitive landscape or market analysis provided.

Inference: The tool addresses a niche but growing concern in AI-assisted development environments.

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Key Risks & Red Flags

  • No evidence of real-world usage: Submitted to a hackathon, with no known adoption or integration.
  • Unverified claims: All descriptions are self-reported and unverified.
  • Limited scope: The tool is described as a CLI and web UI, but lacks enterprise features or integrations.
  • No monetization strategy: No indication of how the product would be sold or funded.
  • Dependency on API keys: Reputation providers require credentials, which may limit usability without them.

Not evidenced: No evidence of risk mitigation, scalability, or long-term viability.

Inference: The tool is experimental and lacks commercial traction or clear path to market.

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Diligence Questions To Ask The Founders

  1. What specific AI-assisted workflows or environments are you targeting with this tool?
  2. Have you tested Sancheck in real-world developer environments or agent workflows?
  3. Are there any known limitations or blind spots in the current scanning logic?
  4. How do you plan to monetize or scale the product beyond a hackathon prototype?
  5. What is your roadmap for integrating with CI/CD pipelines, browser extensions, or enterprise platforms?
  6. Have you considered how to handle false positives or user feedback on scan results?

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Investment/Partnership Verdict

Not evidenced: No evidence of revenue, customers, traction, or commercial viability exists beyond the hackathon submission.

Confidence level: Very low — this is a self-reported prototype with no external validation or market data.

Verdict: This project appears to be an early-stage idea or experimental tool submitted for a hackathon. It does not demonstrate commercial readiness, traction, or clear path to monetization. Any investment or partnership would require further evidence of product-market fit, usage, and scalability.

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Source

Submitted to the OpenAI 2026 hackathon on Devpost. Project home on DevPost.

The analysis above was generated by a language model from the project's own one-line description. It is not independent research and contains no verified traction, revenue or customer data.