Maze

🔍 Details

📝 Description

A massive collection of files and folders has been uncovered, but somewhere deep inside lies an encrypted flag.

Navigating through the depths of this digital maze won't be easy—only those with the right tools and techniques will uncover the flag.

Download the structure from the link (opens in a new tab) and use password: fl4ghunt_maze

🧩 Hints

1. When searching for specific strings, focus on filenames, not the content inside files. The find command might be useful.
2. Files with f4h and aes in their names are the ones you should be looking for.

💡 Solution

This challenge simulates a forensic investigation of a suspicious directory full of files.

find digital_maze/ -type f ! -empty          # Not helpful – all files have content
find digital_maze/ -type f -name "*f4h*"     # Reveals f4h_flag.txt

The file f4h_flag.txt contains:

AES-256 encryption was used with CBC mode.
The secret key is stored in the file: aes_secret_key.txt

Hint: Understanding the output format is the first step.

Encrypted flag:
RyKDtG9Jbhdg1kqbTnxomdaUEQg+2GZAqcRPtn6mFco=

Next run following command to retrieve the secret key from aes_secret_key.txt:

find digital_maze/ -type f -name "*aes*"

After securing the key, the flag can be decrypted by online tool (opens in a new tab)

📚 Insights

This challenge combines file system forensics with applied cryptography.

• Don’t rely solely on file size; names may hold better clues.
• AES-encrypted flags are common; identifying the cipher and locating the key is essential.
• The ciphertext is Base64-encoded — recognizing formats helps guide your next step.
• Tools like find, CyberChef, and AnyCrypt are crucial in these scenarios.

🤔 Comments