HackTheBox How The Columns Have Turned Writeup

Explore the basics of cybersecurity in the How The Columns Have Turned Challenge on Hack The Box. This easy-level Challenge introduces encryption reversal and file handling concepts in a clear and accessible way, perfect for beginners.

https://app.hackthebox.com/challenges/343

Description

A day before the memorial of the Dying Sun, Miyuki began talking about Broider, a death squad commander and a friend of Paulie’s capturer. He would be a party guest at Viryr’s palace. After examining a lot of different scenarios, Miyuki came up with a plan in which Paulie would lure Broider to a secluded location so the group could capture him. Following the plan, a wild chase had just begun when the two looked each other in the eye. After an extremely risky maneuver, Paulie outwitted Broider and led him into an alley in Vinyr’s undercity. The plan was a success. Your squad had managed to capture Broider and bring him back to the ship. After hours of interrogation by Ulysses, he revealed the final key to a series of encrypted messages. Can you find a way to decrypt the others? The flag consists entirely of uppercase characters and has the form HTB{SOMETHINGHERE}. You still have to add the {} yourself.

Exploitation

#!/usr/bin/env python3

def d(k):
    r=[]
    for i,c in enumerate(k):
        n=1+sum(1 for p in k[:i]if p<=c)
        r.append(n)
        for j,p in enumerate(k[:i]):
            if p>c:r[j]+=1
    return r

def twisted_columnar_decrypt(ct,k):
    w=len(k);l=len(ct)//w;b=[list(ct[i:i+l])for i in range(0,len(ct),l)];p=b.copy()
    for i in range(w):p[d(k).index(i+1)]=b[i][::-1]
    return''.join(c for r in zip(*p)for c in r)

k="148823505998502"
m=["ETYDEDTYAATOSTTUFTEETHIVHMVOSFNANDHEGIIIOCESTHTCHDHNRNYALSRPDAIRDCEEIFREEEEOETLRTRNLEEUNBEOIPYLTNOVEOAOTN",
"EECNEMOTCYSSSEORIRCETFDUCEDAATAPATWTTSKTTRROCEANHHHAIHOGPTTGROIEETURAFYUIPUEEONOISECNJISAFALRIUAVSAAVPDES",
"GTNOERUTOIAOTIGRESHHBTSEHLORSRSSNTWINTEAUEENTAEEENOICCAFOSHDORLUFHRIALNGOYPNCEIGTAYAPETHCEOUATEFISTFBPSVK",
"SNUTCAGPEEPWLHITEDFNDMPNWSHFORSLEOAIPTAPEOOOAOTGOSESNADRITRAEREOSSNPECUHSNHENSAATETTPSIUIUOOHPNSKTNIRYHFT",
"WFAFDDSGIMMYTADNHRENINONSRSUMNITAHIANSUOEMAAEDAIFLOTFINEAYNEGYSNKROEOGFTCTNLYIIOODLOIRERVTAROTRROUNUTFAUP"]
for ct in m:
    print(twisted_columnar_decrypt(ct,k))

THELOCATIONOFTHECONVOYDANTEISDETERMINEDTOBEONTHETHIRDPLANETAFTERVINYRYOUCANUSELIGHTSPEEDAFTERTHEDELIVERYS
THECARGOISSAFEWENEEDTOMOVEFASTCAUSETHERADARSAREPICKINGUPSUSPICIOUSACTIVITYAROUNDTHETRAJECTORYOFTHEPLANETA
BECAREFULSKOLIWHENYOUARRIVEATTHEPALACEOFSCIONSAYTHECODEPHRASETOGETINHTBTHISRNGISNOTSAFEFORGENETINGOUTPUTS
DONTFORGETTOCHANGETHEDARKFUELOFTHESPACESHIPWEDONTWANTANYUNPLEASANTSURPRISESTOHAPPENTHISSERIOUSMISSIONPOPO
IFYOUMESSUPAGAINILLSENDYOUTOTHEANDROIDGRAVEYARDTOSUFFERFROMTHECONSTANTTERMINATIONOFYOURKINDAFINALWARNINGM

HTB{THISRNGISNOTSAFEFORGENETINGOUTPUTS}

Summary

The How The Columns Have Turned Challenge on Hack The Box introduces participants to encryption reversal and file handling in a straightforward and engaging manner. In this easy-level challenge, players are tasked with decrypting a series of encrypted messages using the key provided by an interrogated character named Broider. The encryption method involves a twisted columnar cipher, and participants must reverse the process using Python code. This challenge provides a hands-on opportunity to practice cryptographic techniques and Python programming, making it ideal for beginners in cybersecurity.