HackTheBox M0rsarchive Challenge
Explore the basics of cybersecurity in the M0rsarchive 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/98
Description
Just unzip the archive … several times …
Exploitation
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#!/usr/bin/python3
import re
import os
import sys
import zipfile
from PIL import Image
from tqdm import tqdm
def morse_decode(morse_list):
password = ""
MORSE_CODE_DICT = {'.-': 'a', '-...': 'b', '-.-.': 'c', '-..': 'd','.': 'e', '..-.': 'f', '--.': 'g', '....': 'h','..': 'i', '.---': 'j', '-.-': 'k', '.-..': 'l','--': 'm', '-.': 'n', '---': 'o', '.--.': 'p','--.-': 'q', '.-.': 'r', '...': 's', '-': 't','..-': 'u', '...-': 'v', '.--': 'w', '-..-': 'x','-.--': 'y', '--..': 'z', '-----': '0', '.----': '1','..---': '2', '...--': '3', '....-': '4', '.....': '5','-....': '6', '--...': '7', '---..': '8', '----.': '9','-..-.': '/', '.-.-.-': '.', '-.--.-': ')', '..--..': '?','-.--.': '(', '-....-': '-', '--..--': ','}
for morse in morse_list:
password += MORSE_CODE_DICT.get(morse)
return password
def morse():
fp = open('./pwd.png', 'rb')
image = Image.open(fp)
pixel = list(image.getdata())
background = pixel[0]
chars = []
for i,v in enumerate(pixel):
if v == background:
chars.append(" ")
else:
chars.append("*")
output = "".join(chars)
output = re.sub(r'^\s*', '', output)
output = re.sub(r'\s*$', '', output)
output = re.sub(r'\*{3}', '-', output)
output = re.sub(r'\*', '.', output)
output = re.sub(r'\s{2,}', ' | ', output)
output = re.sub(r'\s', '', output)
output = output.split('|')
fp.close()
return output
def unzip_file(path, number, password):
zip_path = "flag_" + str(1000-number) + ".zip"
fp = zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path)
for file in fp.namelist():
fp.extract(file,"./",pwd=password.encode("utf-8"))
fp.close()
def main():
path = sys.path[0]
for number in tqdm(range(1,1001), desc="Extracting archives"):
morse_list = morse()
password = morse_decode(morse_list)
try:
unzip_file(path, number, password)
path = "./flag"
os.chdir(path)
try:
fp = open('./flag', 'r')
flag = fp.readlines()
print(flag)
fp.close()
break
except:
continue
except:
continue
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
Summary
The M0rsarchive Challenge on Hack The Box is an easy-level miscellaneous challenge that involves recursive archive extraction with Morse code-based password retrieval. Participants repeatedly unzip a sequence of archives, where each password is encoded in an image using hidden Morse code patterns. The script extracts pixel data, converts it to Morse code, deciphers it into text, and uses the result to unlock the next archive. The challenge highlights the importance of automation in forensic analysis and demonstrates how steganography and encoding techniques can be used to conceal critical information.