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Dav Flamerock
Joined: 27 Apr 2007
Posts: 450
Location: East Bay, CA
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 Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject: NEWEST EMAIL |
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FROM: Devon Conrad <trustinginprovidenceSPLATgmail.com>
TO: providence.sentrySPLATgmail.com, konamouse, sinyx
| Quote: |
Can't believe I have to use email, not sleeping well at night anyway. Most of it worry. Can't remember any of my old passwords. Can't remember alot of things sometimes, like who I'm really working for.
I don't know what the sculptor is doing, he never made me do any of this. He must think who ever you sent to NYC is special. He rambled in his voicemail, talked about his girlfriend too? Something about the safe get system of multi level mayhem, whatever that means. He said he gave your guy two keys and you'll use one of them proving yourself. Made me write down a job number:
005ac73a3333c493c73a3333c493005a3333c493005ac73ac493005ac73a3333
He made me read it back to him, he wanted it exactly right. He said to use your own key and make it 128 long? Then he said when you get tired of your own key and understand the job and have sharp teeth, this code will get you the key to see the replies:
your clubs two ten queen ace
He said you were supposed to close the job and then he'd know you were clever enough to be useful with the other key?
God, Providence, I hope this makes sense to you, because it makes no fucking sense to me, and I can tell the Sculptor knows I don't understand and is laughing at me behind my back. I'm deleting this account so they can't trace it. My head is throbbing. |
_________________
~Dav Flamerock
"There are probably seven persons, in all, who really like my work; and they are enough. I should write even if I were the only patient reader, for my aim is merely self-expression." ~H.P. Lovecraft
I think this means something, but it's going to take a little more digging. ~ Eddie Pope
(Smith, Tessla, GreenieXIII, Anaru, KyubiKiitsune)
Last edited by Dav Flamerock on Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Johnny The Hack
Joined: 26 Aug 2007
Posts: 98
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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I suspect we have until the 20th to solve the puzzle.
He gave me the article, the parting words in Hebrew, and the book.
There's nothing to the paper that you can't see in the picture. I have to refer to audio just like everyone else to hear the Hebrew, so I can't offer any additional insight there.
I've read the first couple of chapters of the book. If anyone else can think of anything to look for outside the box, PM me.
I didn't really think to keep track at the time, so the one he gave me may in fact be the one that I got signed for Lulu. I'll have to get her copy back and inspect them for differences. |
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Ampersand
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject: Re: NEWEST EMAIL |
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Here's some thought.
The string COULD be a fingerprint, but I'm not sure it has the right number of digits.
The Sculptor told Devon to tell Providence to make her own key, 128 bits long. (A trivial key length, but that might be irrelevant.)
The six-word phrase might be the passcode to Providence's public key.
(Crypto keys are usually symmetrically encrypted so they can only be used by the person who knows the pass phrase.)
So if NYC has a public key and a private key …
Hmm.
That helps no one.
Wait! It does!
NYC can send Providence the PRIVATE key, and encrypt messages to Providence using the PUBLIC key.
If the PRIVATE key is symmetrically encrypted with that six-word pass phrase, then Providence will be able to read those messages.
Except …
"you'll use one of them proving yourself." See that bit?
Okay.
I'll go on, cause I only have a second anyway right now.
That phrase could refer to signing, rather than encryption.
A signature is a hash of your message, encrypted with YOUR OWN private key. The hash can be decrypted by anyone who has your public key (meaning anyone, basically) and then compared to a new hash generated from the message text.
If they match, the message could only have been generated with your private key, and has not been altered. |
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Johnny The Hack
Joined: 26 Aug 2007
Posts: 98
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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Okay...
Now pretend I'm your grandmother and explain that again. |
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Transtar
Joined: 25 Sep 2007
Posts: 260
Location: Marietta, Ga
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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ok there are definite repeating sets in this:
1st broken down into a 8x8:
| Code: |
Code Set #
005ac73a 1
3333c493 2
c73a3333 3
c493005a 4
3333c493 2
005ac73a 1
c493005a 4
c73a3333 3
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Next into a 4x16
| Code: |
Code Set #
005a 1
c73a 2
3333 3
c493 4
c73a 2
3333 3
c493 4
005a 1
3333 3
c493 4
005a 1
c73a 2
c493 4
005a 1
c73a 2
3333 3
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I think the 4x16 has the biggest promise as it has a pattern:
1234 (all)
234 (missing 1)
134 (missing 2)
124 (missing 3)
123 (missing 4)
What does it mean, I have no idea..but it's a pattern!
Edit: the decimal equilelent for Hex: 14164665642899878000
_________________
Avatar from the Girl Genius Comic
Last edited by Transtar on Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:36 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Konamouse
Joined: 20 Apr 2007
Posts: 142
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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Wonder why the addition of kim (who is this?) and myself on the TO: list?
He had to know that the sentries would get it - but is there something that kim & I have access to that makes him want to make sure we see it?
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Dav Flamerock
Joined: 27 Apr 2007
Posts: 450
Location: East Bay, CA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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Is Kim Sinyx?
_________________
~Dav Flamerock
"There are probably seven persons, in all, who really like my work; and they are enough. I should write even if I were the only patient reader, for my aim is merely self-expression." ~H.P. Lovecraft
I think this means something, but it's going to take a little more digging. ~ Eddie Pope
(Smith, Tessla, GreenieXIII, Anaru, KyubiKiitsune) |
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Biff
Joined: 22 Apr 2007
Posts: 439
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Dav Flamerock wrote: |
| Is Kim Sinyx? |
I think so, yes. |
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Catherwood
Joined: 20 Apr 2007
Posts: 84
Location: Silicon Valley
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| Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Transtar wrote: |
| ok there are definite repeating sets in this: |
As was pointed out in chat, if you break it this way:
| Code: |
005a c73a 3333 c493
c73a 3333 c493 005a
3333 c493 005a c73a
c493 005a c73a 3333 |
and make the assignments
005a = A, c73a = B, 3333 = C, c493 = D, you get:
| Code: |
ABCD
BCDA
CDAB
DABC |
(which is just your first 8x8 grid, condensed, sorry, oooh look, shiny!)
meh, while i'm here, i wondered about the need for a 128-bit output. That would be 32-characters, which is the output of a MD5 hash:
http://programy.zsnakorabe.cz/md5/
this says it does symbols (i guess any character or string of bytes is a symbol), and our "key" is possibly that Hebrew 3-symbol set meaning "truth". (i haven't tried it yet, because i would need to past the font into the form.)
(and i return to edit once again, rather than double-post)
So i needed to break down Devon's email into steps, because that's how i'm wired:
- Something about the safe get system of multi level mayhem = (will this make sense after we crack the rest, or will this be needed to even get started?)
- He said he gave your guy two keys = we got two keys from NYC, presumably the printed page and the spoken phrase -- *oh, and the book*
- you'll use one of them proving yourself = one of the two keys will unlock a test case.
- Made me write down a job number = the 64-char string of digits is our test case.
- He said to use your own key and make it 128 long = use "our own key" to make "it" 128 long, meaning the number string or the key? for example, an MD5 hash turns any input into a 32-char string, or 128-bits.
- when you get tired of your own key and understand the job = figured out what "our key" is, played with it, solved it, etc.
- and have sharp teeth = we do have the book "Sharp Teeth", for a book cipher?
- using this code ("your clubs two ten queen ace") will get you the key to see the replies = for example, PGP-encrypted emails require a key to be able to read them.
- (to recap): close the job and then he'd know you were clever enough to be useful with the other key = solve the number string, and that will get us to the next stage.
and this is making my annual performance review seem like a breeze to write...
*NOTE: I'm leaving this for posterity, but updating it in a later reply, now that we've had time to get into the job.*
Last edited by Catherwood on Thu Feb 07, 2008 12:49 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Johnny The Hack
Joined: 26 Aug 2007
Posts: 98
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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HPhack
Joined: 10 Jan 2007
Posts: 258
Location: Cambridge, MA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:24 am Post subject: |
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| Catherwood wrote: |
| Something about the safe get system of multi level mayhem = (will this make sense after we crack the rest, or will this be needed to even get started?) |
That seems familiar, the "multi level mayhem" part. I can remember Jen talking about an MLM, many of us thought he had been sucked into some kind of horrible get rich quick pyramid scheme. She was not amused and explained the last M was for "mayhem not marketing".
I have no idea what "the safe get system of" is, though. Some kind of hacker tool maybe?
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"Perhaps a longer stick is in order." - Unknown Quantity |
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Biff
Joined: 22 Apr 2007
Posts: 439
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:07 am Post subject: |
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| HPhack wrote: |
| Catherwood wrote: |
| Something about the safe get system of multi level mayhem = (will this make sense after we crack the rest, or will this be needed to even get started?) |
That seems familiar, the "multi level mayhem" part. I can remember Jen talking about an MLM, many of us thought he had been sucked into some kind of horrible get rich quick pyramid scheme. She was not amused and explained the last M was for "mayhem not marketing".
I have no idea what "the safe get system of" is, though. Some kind of hacker tool maybe? |
could that be safe gate? It would at least fit the theme of late.
ETA: Can't find much on mayhem, but lots on chaos. |
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Transtar
Joined: 25 Sep 2007
Posts: 260
Location: Marietta, Ga
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:34 am Post subject: |
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Cather: something that I found was that the pattern was a Latin Square as well. Not too sure if it helps all that much, but it might spark something for somebody.
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Sphinx
Joined: 23 Apr 2007
Posts: 48
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 10:11 am Post subject: |
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These codes were haunting my dreams. Codes and dogs. All night.
I am wondering if sploit might know what "multi level mayhem" is? Maybe we should ask. Maybe we shouldn't. |
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Sinyx
Joined: 20 Apr 2007
Posts: 241
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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| Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:12 am Post subject: |
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| Konamouse wrote: |
Wonder why the addition of kim (who is this?) and myself on the TO: list?
He had to know that the sentries would get it - but is there something that kim & I have access to that makes him want to make sure we see it? |
Yup, that's me. I'm in the NYC area so that makes a little sense, but I see you're in Vegas. Maybe DC just contacted those who emailed him after he started his phone messages? I totally suck with the code thing, so it can't be my deduction skills. |
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