22 replies to this topic

[DarkPhoeniX]

Challenge #11
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of ones ignorance."-Confucius
Download Here
Try the challenge here.

[Holmes.Sherlock]

Page #4 of the RTF file contains some invisible characters.

Spoiler

If the RTF file is saved in TXT format, it gives the following series of characters in HEX notation.

Spoiler

54:72:61:63:6B:69:6E:67:20:48:54:54:50:20:65:6E:63:72:79:70:74:69:6F:6E:20:70:61:73:74:20:61:73:63:65:6E:64:69:6E:67:20:73:65:63:75:72:65:20:73:65:72:76:65:72:73:2C:20:77:61:73:20:6F:72:69:67:69:6E:61:6C:6C:79:20:72:65:64:75:6E:64:61:6E:74:20:2E:44:65:63:72:79:70:74:69:6E:67:20:69:73:20:73:61:76:65:2C:20:46:61:73:74:2C:20:72:65:6C:61:74:69:76:65:6C:79:20:65:61:73:79:20:2E:45:6D:70:68:61:73:69:7A:69:6E:67:20:64:6F:6D:69:6E:69:6F:6E:20:6F:76:65:72:20:6D:6F:64:65:72:61:74:6F:72:73:2E

[Holmes.Sherlock]

If the above series of characters converted to ASCII by HEX/ASCII Converter, it produces the following text

Spoiler

Tracking HTTP encryption past ascending secure servers, was originally redundant .Decrypting is save, Fast, relatively easy .Emphasizing dominion over moderators.

[MichaelZ]

I also found that hex code, it is:

Spoiler

Tracking HTTP encryption past ascending secure servers, was originally redundant .Decrypting is save, Fast, relatively easy .Emphasizing dominion over moderators.

Further thinking required.

Many Greetings
Michaelz

[MichaelZ]

If the above series of characters converted to ASCII by HEX/ASCII Converter, it produces the following text

I used Notepad++, a very versatile editor.

Many Greetings
MichaelZ

[Holmes.Sherlock]

I also found that hex code, it is:

If your method is different from mine, please share the method also. This is how we'll learn.

[MichaelZ]

If your method is different from mine, please share the method also. This is how we'll learn.

The second crossposting

[MichaelZ]

I will have a break.
Drink coffee with my wife...

[Holmes.Sherlock]

I used Notepad++, a very versatile editor.

I also used Notepad++. But how did you decode the text using NPP?

[MichaelZ]

Further thinking required.

The result of thinking was to examine a different part of the document that lead to the text

Spoiler

you have
failed
please die

That didn't get much further.

Many Greetings
MichaelZ

[MichaelZ]

I also used Notepad++. But how did you decode the text using NPP?

I have the following plugins installed:
Compare
Converter
MIME Tools
NppExport
NppFTP
Plugin Manager
Spell-Checker
XML Tools

The Converter plugin has the two functions ASCII -> Hex and Hex -> ASCII.

MAny Greetings
MichaelZ

[DarkPhoeniX]

Wow you all broke past the first and second stage fast
Now only the last stage ...
Its amazing how low-tec stenography can still fool a person
But you all are so close keep bashing it!!!

[Holmes.Sherlock]

If you look at the embedded PNG image, you'll find the words "YOU HAVE" to be faintly visible. This gives the clue that the image is steganographed. But, DarkPhoeniX is clever enough this time to make sure that the entire text can't be reveled by BoltBait's plugin as used in previous challenges. That's why I've used this time the plugin by Radobot which gives the flexibility of adjusting color bits which as constrained in only 1-bit & 3-bits in case of BoltBait's plugin. Here is the result after setting Green Bits = 4 in Paint.NET plugin.

Spoiler

May be color bits can be adjusted better to produce clearer output. But the reveled text is clear enough to read the text as reported by MichaelZ.

[MichaelZ]

That's why I've used this time the plugin by Radobot

I used Photoshop's color selection abilities to isolate the text. Personally I didn't like the last line

I don't have an idea yet what to do next.

Many Greetings
MichaelZ

[Icecube]

I found the text in the picture with the GIMP:

Spoiler

Tools ==> Color Tools ==> curves

A strange thing, I noticed, the sentences hex encoded in the rtf file end with " ." instead of ".". I don't know if this is a mistake or a tip.

[DarkPhoeniX]

Icecube,MichaelZ,Holmes.Sherlock
Here is what the picture you found means:

Spoiler

You have failed...

[Icecube]

Icecube,MichaelZ,Holmes.Sherlock
Here is what the picture you found means:

Spoiler

You have failed...

That is what I suspected, when I found the text (before seeing the "solutions" here.

[Holmes.Sherlock]

If nobody is still trying this challenge, may I ask DarkPhoeniX for a clue?

[DarkPhoeniX]

If nobody is still trying this challenge, may I ask DarkPhoeniX for a clue?

Spoiler

The imbedded picture is just a Ruse
The text holmes found is what needs to be decoded
It uses a basic form of stenography used in WW1
Here is a tip ,dose the sentence found make any sense?

[florin91]

Hi!

Spoiler

Yes, the WW1 clue was what I needed!

Cheers!

[steve6375]

I just used Word and then changed the font to 'Symbol' to get the hex numbers. Cracked it now too! :-)

[DarkPhoeniX]

Hi!

Spoiler

Yes, the WW1 clue was what I needed!

Cheers!

Congratulations!

[Holmes.Sherlock]

The password can be obtained by deciphering the extracted text using the method described here.