Description
The “useless” workstation exposes SSH access plus a suspicious calculator script. Somewhere inside its documentation hides the flag.
Setup
SSH into saturn.picoctf.net on port 64713 with the provided credentials.
List the home directory, execute ./useless, and read both the script and its man page.
ssh picoplayer@saturn.picoctf.net -p 64713
password
ls && ./useless
man useless
Solution
- Step 1Inspect the scriptRunning the script without proper arguments prompts you to “Read the code first.” View the bash source to learn it performs basic math operations.cat useless
- Step 2Read the manualThe maintainer stashed the picoCTF flag at the bottom of the manual page. Simply run man useless and scroll to the end.man useless
Flag
picoCTF{us3l3s...it3d_4373}
No exploitation is required; just follow the hints inside the tool’s documentation.