Can you crack it? - GCHQ

tlrBeta · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:31

Not sure if anyone has noticed this yet, GCHQ trying to advertise more awareness by creating a little test for possible applicants. Your task is to crack the code:

http://www.canyoucrackit.co.uk/

Personally, I have never really attempted any code breaking and as such I already know this is way out of my league.

Maybe someone could share some basic knowledge on how to approach a code of this sort?

qqg3 · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:37

I found it amusing that on the BBC article they pointed out this was launched in 'secret' on 3 Nov. Clearly with the 12 Dec deadline looming they realised no one had really taken part yet so were getting desperate for some attention.

Pawnless Endgame · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:41

Then if shortlisted, you have to go through a four-month security clearance period where they check your background. (MOD is two months clearance).

oulton · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:44

looks like a filter approach would be a good place to start on this one.

To approach this code firstly copy it exactly into a string in python, vb, whatever.
The rule is that it is one word so you know not to look for breaks, which is a positive.
Because it is only one word, that means you are also looking at a lot of filler, useless pairs inserted for no reason. The filler is likely to be repeated many time through the code, so the next task is to run frequency checks on the code, and pic out the most frequent, and rarest character pairs. At this point you should start to analyse the purely alpha, numeric, and alphanumeric string pairs for frequency....

ok i might have a go

oulton · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:46

ps I got quite far into the selection process for one of our mi's (the most exciting one), but I backed out after realising the stress levels would probably break me...

Maccy · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:49

I wouldn't even know where to begin :eek:

Clav · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:50

oulton said:
ps I got quite far into the selection process for one of our mi's (the most exciting one), but I backed out after realising the stress levels would probably break me...

Isn't one of the requirements of the process to only tell your very closest family members about it? Pretty sure that doesn't cover blabbing on an internet forum

SMN · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:55

Then you get denied DV clearance by a aryan security officer unhappy that you went to Turkey with someone called "Adil" or "Raj". Quote - "Thats not an anglo saxon name is it?".

oulton · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:56

Clav said:
Isn't one of the requirements of the process to only tell your very closest family members about it? Pretty sure that doesn't cover blabbing on an internet forum

only joking

Von Smallhausen · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:56

I cracked it.

' we will be in touch '

Most of the code is redundant and only in there to pad it out.

oulton · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:57

Von Smallhausen said:
I cracked it.

' we will be in touch '

Most of the code is redundant and only in there to pad it out.

thats what i said

oulton · 1 Dec 2011 at 09:57

Von Smallhausen said:
I cracked it.

' we will be in touch '

Most of the code is redundant and only in there to pad it out.

what was your solution? I thought only one word

Von Smallhausen · 1 Dec 2011 at 10:02

That would be telling.

George Hincapie · 1 Dec 2011 at 10:03

oulton said:
ps I got quite far into the selection process for one of our mi's (the most exciting one), but I backed out after realising the stress levels would probably break me...

Then you woke up and smelt the coffee

paddy · 1 Dec 2011 at 10:03

It's not "password", or "password123"

GCHQ are evidently more wiley than the majority of people at my old work...

Worrying thing is I imagine the brainless office peeps at my old work earnt more than you would at GCHQ

Edit: Christmas smilies

oulton · 1 Dec 2011 at 10:04

George Hincapie said:
Then you woke up and smelt the coffee

Yes.... or did I?

D.P. · 1 Dec 2011 at 10:05

Hexadecimal pairs, the 2 seprated grids may be significant.

Will have a crack at this later (pun intended)

oulton · 1 Dec 2011 at 10:05

Von Smallhausen said:
That would be telling.

I don't believe you sorry mate

D.P. · 1 Dec 2011 at 10:07

paddy said:
It's not "password", or "password123"

GCHQ are evidently more wiley than the majority of people at my old work...

Worrying thing is I imagine the brainless office peeps at my old work earnt more than you would at GCHQ

Edit: Christmas smilies

I was invited for a GCHQ interview (1st round thingy) but declined in the end for various factors, not least the pay was pretty miserable and I also seem to remember quite a lot less vacation time (4 weeks?) than most UK companies.

Instead I did a PhD in Switzerland got paid 50% more.

DavidB · 1 Dec 2011 at 10:07

OCR'd it if it helps anyone.

eb 04 af c2 bf a3 81 ec
Oc fe c1 75 f9 31 cO ba
dO c1 ca O8 8a 1c Oc 8a
fe c1 75 e8 e9 5c 00 00
00 5c 58 3d 41 41 41 41
75 3b 5a 89 dl 89 e6 89
d1 89 df 29 cf 31 c0 31
8a 14 06 8a 34 1e 88 34
8a 1c 16 8a 17 30 da 88
d8 fe cO cd 80 90 90 e8
00 01 00 00 31 c9 88 Oc
ef be ad de 02 04 Oc 00
3c 04 88 1c 04 88 3c Oc
00 89 e3 81 c3 04 00 00
75 43 58 3d 42 42 42 42
df 29 cf f3 a4 89 de 89
db 31 d2 fe cO 02 1c 06
06 88 14 1e 00 f2 30 f6
17 47 49 75 de 31 db 89
9d ff ff ff 41 41 41 41