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Author Topic: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)  (Read 6871 times)

burakkucat

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Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« on: September 14, 2013, 12:24:32 AM »

http://www.gchq.gov.uk/Press/Pages/solve-cyber-secret.aspx

The time limit is six weeks from 10th September 2013 . . .

 :hmm:
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roseway

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2013, 07:23:22 AM »

I solved it in ten seconds, but I can't tell you the answer or I'd have to kill you. :graduate:
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burakkucat

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2013, 03:42:40 PM »

 ;)
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kitz

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2013, 07:23:20 PM »

Well from a quick glance Q holds some sort of key to finding the solution and I can see Turing in there
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burakkucat

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2013, 03:34:53 AM »

Let's see if by working together we can solve the initial part, at least.  :)

Quote
AWVLI QIQVT QOSQO ELGCV IIQWD LCUQE EOENN WWOAO
LTDNU QTGAW TSMDO QTLAO QSDCH PQQIQ DQQTQ OOTUD
BNIQH BHHTD UTEET FDUEA UMORE SQEQE MLTME TIREC
LICAI QATUN QRALT ENEIN RKG

Looking at the index of coincidence (the value of kappa) for the above sequence --

Code: [Select]
[Duo2 GCHQ]$ kappa part_1.txt
0.062937
[Duo2 GCHQ]$

Kappa is approximately 0.065 for the English language, whereas it is approximately 0.038 for a purely random 'alphabet soup'. So we are clearly dealing with an enciphered English text.

Now looking at the observed value of phi for the above sequence and comparing it with the theoretical value (a) if it was a polyalphabetic cipher and (b) if it was a monoalphabetic cipher, we see --

Code: [Select]
[Duo2 GCHQ]$ phi part_1.txt
expected phi sub r 781 (poly)
observed phi       1278
expected phi sub p 1353 (mono)
[Duo2 GCHQ]$

This result strongly hints that we are dealing with a monoalphabetic cipher.

The character frequency counts --

Code: [Select]
[Duo2 GCHQ]$ chaf part_1.txt
A = 00008 5.59% B = 00002 1.40%
C = 00005 3.50% D = 00008 5.59%
E = 00014 9.79% F = 00001 0.70%
G = 00003 2.10% H = 00004 2.80%
I = 00010 6.99% J = 00000 0.00%
K = 00001 0.70% L = 00008 5.59%
M = 00004 2.80% N = 00007 4.90%
O = 00010 6.99% P = 00001 0.70%
Q = 00020 13.99% R = 00004 2.80%
S = 00004 2.80% T = 00014 9.79%
U = 00007 4.90% V = 00003 2.10%
W = 00005 3.50% X = 00000 0.00%
Y = 00000 0.00% Z = 00000 0.00%

Total alphabetic characters = 143
[Duo2 GCHQ]$

The bigram frequency counts --

Code: [Select]
[Duo2 GCHQ]$ bif part_1.txt
AI = 00001    0.70% AL = 00001    0.70% AO = 00002    1.41%
AT = 00001    0.70% AU = 00001    0.70% AW = 00002    1.41%
BH = 00001    0.70% BN = 00001    0.70% CA = 00001    0.70%
CH = 00001    0.70% CL = 00001    0.70% CU = 00001    0.70%
CV = 00001    0.70% DB = 00001    0.70% DC = 00001    0.70%
DL = 00001    0.70% DN = 00001    0.70% DO = 00001    0.70%
DQ = 00001    0.70% DU = 00002    1.41% EA = 00001    0.70%
EC = 00001    0.70% EE = 00002    1.41% EI = 00001    0.70%
EL = 00001    0.70% EM = 00001    0.70% EN = 00002    1.41%
EO = 00001    0.70% EQ = 00001    0.70% ES = 00001    0.70%
ET = 00002    1.41% FD = 00001    0.70% GA = 00001    0.70%
GC = 00001    0.70% HB = 00001    0.70% HH = 00001    0.70%
HP = 00001    0.70% HT = 00001    0.70% IC = 00001    0.70%
II = 00001    0.70% IN = 00001    0.70% IQ = 00006    4.23%
IR = 00001    0.70% KG = 00001    0.70% LA = 00001    0.70%
LC = 00001    0.70% LG = 00001    0.70% LI = 00002    1.41%
LT = 00003    2.11% MD = 00001    0.70% ME = 00001    0.70%
ML = 00001    0.70% MO = 00001    0.70% NE = 00001    0.70%
NI = 00001    0.70% NN = 00001    0.70% NQ = 00001    0.70%
NR = 00001    0.70% NU = 00001    0.70% NW = 00001    0.70%
OA = 00001    0.70% OE = 00002    1.41% OL = 00001    0.70%
OO = 00001    0.70% OQ = 00002    1.41% OR = 00001    0.70%
OS = 00001    0.70% OT = 00001    0.70% PQ = 00001    0.70%
QA = 00001    0.70% QD = 00001    0.70% QE = 00003    2.11%
QH = 00001    0.70% QI = 00002    1.41% QO = 00003    2.11%
QQ = 00002    1.41% QR = 00001    0.70% QS = 00001    0.70%
QT = 00003    2.11% QV = 00001    0.70% QW = 00001    0.70%
RA = 00001    0.70% RE = 00002    1.41% RK = 00001    0.70%
SD = 00001    0.70% SM = 00001    0.70% SQ = 00002    1.41%
TD = 00002    1.41% TE = 00002    1.41% TF = 00001    0.70%
TG = 00001    0.70% TI = 00001    0.70% TL = 00001    0.70%
TM = 00001    0.70% TQ = 00002    1.41% TS = 00001    0.70%
TU = 00002    1.41% UD = 00001    0.70% UE = 00001    0.70%
UM = 00001    0.70% UN = 00001    0.70% UQ = 00002    1.41%
UT = 00001    0.70% VI = 00001    0.70% VL = 00001    0.70%
VT = 00001    0.70% WD = 00001    0.70% WO = 00001    0.70%
WT = 00001    0.70% WV = 00001    0.70% WW = 00001    0.70%

Total alphabetic bigrams = 142
[Duo2 GCHQ]$

A quick and crude automagical attempt at decipherment yields --

Code: [Select]
[Duo2 GCHQ]$ demono part_1.txt

icyso eoeya engen tsphy ooecr shdet tntll ccnin
sarld eapic agmrn easin egrhu keeoe reeae nnadr
wloeu wuuar datta brdti dmnft getet msamt aofth
sohio eiadl efisa tltol fvp

swap>

tr "[A-Z]" "iwhrtbpuoxvsmlnkefgadycjqz" < part_1.txt
[Duo2 GCHQ]$

 :hmm:  Hmm . . . I see no semblance of any English text, above. Perhaps there is a degree of transposition involved.  :-\  :help:
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kitz

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2013, 12:58:09 PM »

I looked at it another way in that the Q was obviously relevant but not sure how.
Its unlikely that all words would be 5 chars, so we'd need to strip spaces.

Knowing that we are looking for a url, then key words to look for would be 'www' or 'http'.  DOT would need to be in there, and scanning across the letters you can see on the 2nd line that it is, a few times. Also scanning across the letters I can see the word TURING. If http has been used then we'd also need 'slash' and 'colon'. We'd also need either a .com or .uk  - most likely UK.  If its UK then also we need to look for either 'co' or 'gov'

I suspect we are therefore more likely to be reading the letters 'as is' at every 'x' no of chars.  'x' needs to be defined which is possibly something to do with the Q? 

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kitz

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2013, 03:05:26 PM »

I'm supposed to be working on the server, but had a look at the above whilst eating my cheese butty.

Going with my previous theory about the words that should be in there.. I noticed there was only one instance of k so it could be a good starting point.   

There was a U in there too and the nearest one was spaced 13 letters before. Out of curiosity I then counted back 13 and got a T.  I repeated this and look what happens.   You can see where I started with the K

Anyhow lunch break over and I really do need to get back to work :(

---
ok I know I said I was going back to work, but Im sure there is something in this...  Ive now got part of a url using the key words I was searching for.
« Last Edit: September 17, 2013, 03:21:46 PM by kitz »
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kitz

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2013, 04:10:41 PM »

OMG!!!!  Ive cracked it!!!!!   :dance:

100% no cheating guaranteed..  Im so god-damn chuffed at myself.    :blush:

Admittedly I gave myself a slight red herring with Q... it is important but not in the way that I first thought. I was also on track with a couple of other key words, but again got thrown by Q 



What Ive typed in the above posts should get others there too..  and since I definitely dont want a job at GCHQ Im happy to share to see if we can all do this together.

If you dont want to know  - do not look at the attached cap, Ive cut off the last part of the url just in case it shows by accident .
I'll wait until someone else finishes off the rest of it cause Im at step 2 and it means nothing yet, but I really do need to get back to the server.
« Last Edit: September 17, 2013, 04:16:50 PM by kitz »
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roseway

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2013, 04:41:08 PM »

Brilliant! :)
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2013, 06:50:09 PM »

There are some darned clever people on this forum.    :)
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Black Sheep

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2013, 07:09:09 PM »

You called, 7LM ?? ;)

LOL ...... absolutely right ...... way above my station.  :)
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burakkucat

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2013, 12:24:31 AM »

OMG!!!!  Ive cracked it!!!!!   :dance:

100% no cheating guaranteed..  Im so god-damn chuffed at myself.    :blush:

Admittedly I gave myself a slight red herring with Q... it is important but not in the way that I first thought. I was also on track with a couple of other key words, but again got thrown by Q

Purrfect.  :)
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burakkucat

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2013, 11:44:12 PM »

The challenge is now over and GCHQ have issued a press release --

Quote
The most skilled mathematicians, code breakers and ethical hackers in the UK have spent the last 4 weeks attempting to break a series of mathematical codes hidden across the world-wide web for the chance to win a prize – and perhaps, ultimately, a  job with GCHQ.

<snip>
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kitz

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2013, 02:04:08 AM »

Good luck b*cat.   :fingers:

A little birdy told me that youd successfully managed to crack the lot. :clap2:



Unfortunately Ive had my head so buried in site and server things, trying to crack nuts rather than codes....  and I had entirely forgotten about this.
I hadnt even attempted part 2...  not even looked at it again since my last post.   :-[
I think I need more effective time management or something, because I dont seem to be doing too good atm and there's not enough hours in the day :(

There you go b*cat....  your next challenge...  help kitz to be more productive with her time ..  now that is a toughie  :D
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burakkucat

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Re: Can You Find It? (For GCHQ)
« Reply #14 on: October 22, 2013, 03:25:01 AM »

Quote
. . . and there's not enough hours in the day :(

I know, I know. Even when I have trouble with  :sleep:  and continue using my 'puter into silly hours of the morning, there are still many things not completed.  :no:

I don't want a job with GCHQ (so Eric is welcome to it) but I will accept a Raspberry Pi;)
« Last Edit: October 22, 2013, 05:12:10 PM by burakkucat »
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