Code and Code Breaking

[Vev]

Just need to watch out for decompilers

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Vev
Let's hope all these nasty suggestions the CyCon have not added in their current code.

Let's hope they are simply not as bright as us.
Judging from the coded message activity or the lack of it I don't think they have a "code machine" like what we are planned here, or at least not yet. If they do have one, I can see it will generate coded messages like crazy given how they love to do that. If the last simple coded message is true, then they have to "learn" the code, so not automatically done by a machine. If it is false, well, that must mean the "new code" simply doesn't exist.

[Snowflake]

Originally posted by Vev
Just need to watch out for decompilers

Can they somehow gets the source file if it is in an asp page?

[Vev]

Here is the program to do the variable offset and bit length analysis. What is really needed is a frequency analysis.

/*
* for some reason %b isn't supported
*/

#include
#include

#define columns 4

int defcount=8;
int defoffset=3;

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
char keypress;
while (keypress != 'q')
{
printf("BitLength: %i, BitOffset: %1\n",defcount,defoffset);
printf("q = quit, w=+length, s=-length, a=-offset,d=+offset\n");
keypress = getchar();

if (keypress == 'w')
defcount++;
if (keypress == 's' && defcount > 4)
defcount--;
if (keypress == 'a' && defoffset > 0)
defoffset--;
if (keypress == 'd' && defoffset < defcount - 1)
defoffset++;

main2(argc,argv);
}
return(0);
}

int main2(int argc, char **argv)
{
FILE *inFile;
FILE *outFile;
char ch;
unsigned int chout;
int counter;
int bits;
int ii;
int columnssplit;
// unsigned char outputch;

inFile=fopen(argv[1], "r");
if (inFile==NULL)
{
printf ("error opening file.\n");
exit(0);
}

while ( (ch=fgetc(inFile)) != '\n') {}

printf("\n\n\nFile %s, offset %i, charlength %i\n",argv[1],defoffset,defcount);
printf("Header: ");
for(ii=0;ii {
ch=fgetc(inFile);
printf("%c",ch);
}

printf("\n");

counter=defcount;
chout=0;
columnssplit=0;
bits=0;

while ( (ch=fgetc(inFile)) != EOF)
{
counter--;
if (ch == '1')
{
chout += (1 << counter);
bits++;
}

if (ch == '0')
bits++;

printf("%c",ch);

if (counter == 0)
{
//outputch=chout;
printf(" ");
if (chout <= 0xF)
printf("0");
if (chout <= 0xFF)
printf("0");
printf("%x\t ",chout);
counter=defcount;
chout=0;
columnssplit++;
if (columnssplit == columns)
{
printf("\n");
columnssplit=0;
}
}
}

if (counter != defcount)
{
printf("Total bits %i\n",bits);
}

return (0);
}

[Vev]

Fair Play Charter Proposal

Creating codes and breaking codes is fun, but with the computer power and complex encryption availabe on the web today, the usage of it can seriously damage the enjoy one has in this activity.

There is no need for a very hard to crack code are there are many methods available to send messages securely, for exampled: team private forums, private messages and encrypted emails. Posting of such difficult to crack messages means it is unreadable by others and some may constitute as spam.

What I am proposing is that all coded transmission on the public forum be reasonably crackable by hand given a few days. The exact definition of reasonably crackable can be discussed further below. Maybe a clue is given into the general type of encoding used.

[Voltaire]

Posted. Sorry I sort of ran off there, went to get something to snack on, then sort of completely forgot about everything else.

[Vev]

John thinks it is 9 bit, as after cycling through possible header offsets, he encounter promising patterns. Anyway we still need more information.

[Jamski]

I was talking to Drogue last night, he says its like a rotor system i.e. the bits are encrypted so its a double code Also he says the code changes EVERY time, but that the key to which encrytion (i.e. rotor settings) is being used, is in each message. Nice of him, eh? He could be lying, of course.

-Jam

[Vev]

Can you get a reasonable verification that our guess of 9 bit letters isn't too far off the mark?

[Jamski]

I'll ask him tonight, may have to trade some info, or perhaps he'll just feel sorry for us because of the "pod incident"

-Jam

[Micha]

lol
Yeah, that was a great loss to our people...

[Jamski]

Heheheh - I love getting sympathy when there's nothing wrong

-Jam

[Vander]

Here is an idea:
Let's leak some innocent, yet truthful information to the publc forums much like the British in WWII. Once we get them convinced that we are being daring and swapping important info in public, start to "bend" the truth to our favor.
For example: Code says we attack northern coastal city. Infact, we attack southern coastal city or fly inland.

[Snowflake]

Wow I didn't know we've got new comrades! Here's an idear for the next one who wants to join us. Should we ask him/her to do a "highly politically sensitive operation" in the cycon join cycon first and get the code for us then quit before he is accepted in the Hive? What is the rule about defection again? Of course this could cause major international incident. Just want to throw out some ideas before any shaking takes place ...

[Frankychan]

Unfortunately defections are not allowed. There is a thread in the general forum with the tallied votes. But there are some precautions in place to protect the Hive from defectors.