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Tags: Visual edit apiedit
Tags: Visual edit apiedit
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*one time pad?
 
*one time pad?
 
*speculation: "OTR//4.0" (see [[Stormseeker's Website]]) is a reference to the [http://www.cypherpunks.ca/otr/ Off-the-Record Messaging] protocol in version 4.0. This is unlikely though, since nearly all the previous clues used a similar header, and the current OTR protocol is only 3.0.
 
*speculation: "OTR//4.0" (see [[Stormseeker's Website]]) is a reference to the [http://www.cypherpunks.ca/otr/ Off-the-Record Messaging] protocol in version 4.0. This is unlikely though, since nearly all the previous clues used a similar header, and the current OTR protocol is only 3.0.
* speculation: When converting the hex code into ASCII, you will get [http://pastebin.com/edntB39j this]. This is a possible base64 code (the double == at the end indicates this) though I don't know what method it is using to make it into base64.
+
* speculation: When converting the hex code into ASCII, you will get [http://pastebin.com/edntB39j this]. This is a possible base64 code (the double == at the end indicates this) though I don't know what method it is using to make it into base64. UPDATE: Decoding brings you this: http://pastebin.com/pRtdX6Dj, which could be the insides of some file possibly.
   
 
==='''Debunked Theories'''===
 
==='''Debunked Theories'''===

Revision as of 03:52, 21 February 2015

After ASCII85 decoding of HALOS.txt on Stormseeker's Website, this message can be observed:


[[Proxyhost@-84-9-123-345.dslgb.com//closed.proxy.accepted//?OTR,3,4,?OTR:[INCOMING TRANSMISSION CLASSIFIED SOURCE]SUBJECT ANALYSIS - TENACIOUS. SITE OFFLINE...... 
...{Primary Servers Overloaded}... USER ACTIVATION REQUIRED... PASSCODE INPUT FOR SITE ACTIVATION REQUIRED...
SET FOR FINAL TEST PATTERN....
ANALYSIS COMPLETE>>> [CLASSIFIED INFORMATION LEVEL 8][OTR//4.0]
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
[/][End Transmission]|¬[ABORTIVE.] ~~ [Transmission Ends]]

The inner code seen in this message is 752 hexadecimal numbers (376 bytes or 3008 bits):

B32B003A 35BADD66 577C24C1 4FC91906 4346D131 A7C54BB8 2FFE03E0 22615777
247923DC 21F62CD4 182E91C3 B267B545 ABCAEDAF 0261510D 4EEA1E87 CD33C7C7
7131309C C4280EB4 243D1154 F044F9CF 6296D9BF F7397E43 90987FE6 3203DA0D
E40278B3 A54F5DDC 6975FA04 F749849E 1A62595A 9F630B07 95913DE0 153E3AAC
388C45FB 9D850CFE 913541D6 C08398F2 C88332A8 2FDF0028 1D62FCDC 4FE7E46A
E90C51C5 C806B411 64E33AB9 2C96862E 068B0C16 C09990B8 381A00DA 7915B67F
E4A20F59 9B0F1B6D 481913C7 B9538CEE 639144F4 1561BA92 E4FE751D 1E242CD8
8F51D695 51988713 6A7C15AA BD7B4004 49220141 30A91F17 0F66CCB3 C139463A
7E909A37 AA863FB2 7805FC97 31C09C8C 79067E79 930A4065 46B24C9A 629B26C2
CE2A4BE4 8F589A37 5FEB731F C4AB225C 11848CF8 9E291FB2 7133970C 06361847
4A892801 EDD68F54 698C5E5B 506746F6 765A6F7F 1225DEA4 DA1140FE B60F6507
45241C69 3695883D CB21E6FB FEFBB85A 29919480 36A52B5D

These bytes contain no visible patterns, entropy analysis results in a normalized value of 0.928, which is considered to be similar to that of a random data. Older ciphers does not result in this type of randomness in the encoded message, which means that a more sophisticated/modern cipher was probably used to encode this data.

Current Theories

752

Hex Editor view of the code Download

  • Symmetric Block Cipher
    • DES, 3DES, Blowfish, Others
    • Possible password of "benalohpaillier" or "BENALOHPAILLIER"
  • one time pad?
  • speculation: "OTR//4.0" (see Stormseeker's Website) is a reference to the Off-the-Record Messaging protocol in version 4.0. This is unlikely though, since nearly all the previous clues used a similar header, and the current OTR protocol is only 3.0.
  • speculation: When converting the hex code into ASCII, you will get this. This is a possible base64 code (the double == at the end indicates this) though I don't know what method it is using to make it into base64. UPDATE: Decoding brings you this: http://pastebin.com/pRtdX6Dj, which could be the insides of some file possibly.

Debunked Theories

  • Raw 1-bit (monochrome) or 8-bit (grayscale) pixel array
  • uuEncoded
  • Simple XOR [0-255] on each byte
  • 32-bit and 8-bit bit rotations
  • SSH Key. File length is too short, even with DSA/768.
  • encrypted with openssl

Other Information

  • User:Dr_Horn created the page Tempus omnia revelant (Time reveals all) after the trail on this problem went cold. Stormseeker then updated the forum thread's original post, adding the text 'tempus omnia revelant'. This seems to confirm that the Wikia account for Dr Horn is indeed Stormseeker.
  • Stormseeker later says on his Steam Profile:
    • "If it's about the ARG, I've not set up or had any sites setup for hacking, so no. There is an answer, but you can't brute force it, the CIA couldn't brute force it. Someone is already close."
  • Stormseeker teased encryption may not be the right idea. "How do you know solving this has anything to do with encryption?"
  • Stormseeker referred to this code puzzle as "HALOS FILE" instead of "752 Hex Code", as the players had come to call it, when he administratively updated the original forum post on December 11, 2012 (after a forum user complained that it was not up to date), suggesting a possible link to the HALOS files mentioned in the decoded message in IRC clue 5.

External Links