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Currently making the solution for Invisible WORDsand the walkthrough will be published here as soon as it's ready.
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Invisible WORDs
Published: April 26, 2023
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Useful tools for Forensics
- Hex ViewerView text or raw hex bytes as a xxd-style hex dump with byte offset, hex columns, and ASCII sidebar. Highlights printable characters and null bytes.
- Checksum CalculatorCompute CRC32, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512 hashes for text or uploaded files. Verify against known hashes.
- Base64 & Base32 DecoderDecode Base64 and Base32 strings with auto-detection. Multi-layer mode unwraps nested encodings automatically.
- Hash IdentifierIdentify unknown hash types by length and prefix. Covers MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512, bcrypt, NTLM, and more.
Related reading
- Wireshark and pcap Analysis for CTF ForensicsA hands-on guide to analyzing network packet captures (pcap files) in CTF competitions using Wireshark and tshark: following TCP streams, finding credentials, extracting files, and applying display filters.
- How to Read and Analyze Hex DumpsLearn to read and analyze hex dumps for CTF challenges -- understanding the xxd format, spotting magic bytes, finding hidden strings, and using hex editors to inspect binary files.
What to try next
- ForensicsHard
SideChannel
Exploit a timing side-channel in a PIN checker: each correct digit takes slightly longer. Recover all 8 digits.
- ForensicsHard
Surfing the Waves
Extract hidden data from an audio file by analyzing its waveform properties. Decode amplitude values, frequency patterns, or sample data to reveal the encoded flag.
- ForensicsHard
Very very very Hidden
Dig through multiple layers of hidden data in a forensic artifact. Combine techniques like steganography, metadata analysis, and file carving to find the deeply buried flag.
- ForensicsHard
B1g_Mac
Analyze a set of files and directory structures to locate hidden forensic artifacts. Piece together data fragments scattered across the archive to assemble the flag.
- ForensicsHard
investigation_encoded_1
Reverse an encoder binary that transforms the flag into a custom encoding scheme before writing it to an output file. Decode the output to recover the flag.