This write-up covers the challenges and solutions for the capture-the-flag (CTF) task involving the file . Challenge Overview
: The text file contained Base64 encoded strings. Decoding : Extracted the string from flag.txt . Ran a Base64 decode sequence. The resulting plain text revealed the flag. Conclusion
: A while loop was used to check for the existence of a compressed file in the current directory. File: Rescuing_You_in_the_Infinite_Loop.rar ...
: The script attempted to use the filename of the current layer as the password for the next, a common trope in these challenges.
To bypass the "infinite loop," a Python script was developed using the zipfile and patoolib libraries to automate the process. This write-up covers the challenges and solutions for
: Manual extraction revealed a nested file structure (e.g., layer100.zip -> layer99.zip ).
: Some layers utilized simple password protection or varying compression formats (ZIP, RAR, 7z). Phase 2: Automation Scripting Ran a Base64 decode sequence
The objective was to extract a hidden flag from a recursively compressed archive. The file presented a "Zip Bomb" style structure where each extracted layer contained another password-protected or obfuscated archive, requiring automated extraction to reach the final payload. Phase 1: Initial Analysis : RAR Archive.