(Update: Prize money has DOUBLED. More details below.)
Do you fancy yourself knowledgeable in the arts of encryption and, more importantly, decryption?
For a contest, we’ve been given a set of codes that have been encrypted with AES 256 military-grade encryption, and the organisers then informed us that the first person who deciphers the three sets of code below will walk away with RM50,000 (Update 10 September, 3:50pm) RM100,000 in “cold hard cash”. This is, of course, a contest that corresponds to all local laws and guidelines – we’re told by the organisers, who wish to stay anonymous at this juncture, that they are attempting something different.
If you’re up for the challenge, here are the three sets of codes that you need to decipher:
CODE 1
–##–eyJHMDkwMjQwQiI6IlVFMFFJZG5ERFl2K1wvdkUrY20wT2JnbHhGR1wvYkJhcGlrRmlaWmtSWFwvVktIM1dKc20zTlVDVjJXWDB4YTRUVFJpVEJvVDN5NFZGNHNmNllmanVKWGdZSmlOcExKZVZOajUycGtYNURXbUZ5RGxZVkhXRWRVQ0JOTVVhYm1SSWhuXC9tWVY0a1ZqME5oUnJJQlwvM1ZNTEhzY1JvYXl1WDhhWnkzQ1pOOUNSSGtvPSJ9–##–XMthlftLS6A62CLoaRG9I6lRCmmktQ1ZF8rkfIYZmOMI/oS26IXrm2dHgTmLsVFi5kK0EYvlSjzOkn14uMOGJCIkYpghmGm3FSsRGfRrRUGKetvAsokQi+Sra3RmxoxXCWwBuVwdNt9pMadvItMzdFYinyhNmw+OBbYuPgmIiQwwtOydHJ46y9U8kJYlNzEfjH4hnc3GsD+xfwZQutQXYi1C+PxOGpIcvwjIoTccGL4Wp673JFHjs/EjREtCz9Lq–##–
CODE 2
–##–eyJHMDkwNjQ3MiI6IkRZbjg1NUpKVnJOajRuV055akNnUGlwdllBSjVXUDJPeHRxdDBzeVltNlN5ZUlkbXNwNnFRMzNQdVZQT1wvQ2tLVzNLUURsK2ZkajZLK2I3bytDNTlYMGdia3hIcHlyUmtwbUFBRUUzZEhSXC9RcUU3QTlOUGFWcGk3NjhleVA0ZFdLR0orYjZTQVZGVGF4amV4Y1A3THVBdVFCcHpCemlxcXpiSjNjZDFINjhBPSJ9–##–K1JCm+R+1MEZhcOtN8bLNui4ulpKbPaDqB2pzq5gSB2M4k77oxb4PTkFaEt1z3YZxJ8OVMQyCSFcfQePwbwjxLqbq00+kVmNdw4j30Cd/459RBCfDsRodayJdoACk91mn+PLCor2bjJa4ZOJn6D3kvJS0HV85mVnxe1bgWFqrW+rzyQZGjKO/i53MH3vdCSEmjpxLHmziRq2xHoDGKDm7Y5KLto949aAZVOZNkD83pSNOjja2nNuQZuetjCzR2tn1uDZ3iHHxzpdkBeJ6I8pj7YifljZ9bMqSKk8c2LhPGO06gJvCfgetnkjh0CC28rk–##–
CODE 3
–##–eyJHMDkwNkIyRCI6Ik81ck5DcG1Tb0VyZUFUNGVxSFk0c2RGRW9Fc0F2ZHJSQ21aenBRUktqMHNoYnNlY2ozak9uYkt1c2drajJaUjZrMHlzMHVaSUZ3ckMyRmpWbmVOaWdPc2Vud3hoTkNzZWIzUDRkK2syM1dNdUFRYVNJNTAzWHdDcGcyWnVaYnhtbWpOQnFPd2E3cFhFczRGajJaUENvcG4zRDJCQ1hpaFRCeXNlUndhQnU1QT0ifQ==–##–Rnk1a0AO/xWjkTbJ08r0abZ12Bz+edMuOWXrAk9BfoB3vrXS4zaZsNwIYIsGwieo/OR/BzRBOnmRFW0dsieLYXKr1cBswqtKgnS+xhjjDmlfPFwemZzoIOe2X4FWmuwgluKSMkk+vPxpa9LwkAx3tqiUYsYY2tKjR5HP5D3T2N/1JqdJaKcXw4cQwnwmvqmma+Dzb76Q01Pk8+n6MzoTJ1wG21h2HgM1g2ZelELcgXu+jBdO4jtPpqgWy3w1FnNBlFLoVp7ey5QiaDkLEJvJksfbBooEDLc+4Cmf7U5QNrg8uNY7XXfSAo7PPTaVOoDT–##–
——————
Submit your answers on all 3 of the encrypted messages (aha, a clue!) above to hackchallenge@yahoo.com. Remember, the first person who cracks the codes will win the cash prize – the organisers are again keeping mum on how the intend to do the prize giving ceremony, but rest assured all will be revealed very soon.
Rules & regulations:
1. This challenge is open to all Malaysians to participate.
2. Participants must decipher ALL the 3 encrypted messages correctly to be considered as a winner.
3. Participants will need to provide their email addresses and contact numbers upon submission.
4. Participants will need to submit ALL answers latest by 17th Sept 2015 at 12.00pm. Any late submissions will not be entertained.
5. Participants are required to email their answers to hackchallenge@yahoo.com.
6. Organisers will only contact participants with the correct answers.
7. Participants who successfully deciphered the messages will be requested to do a demonstration to the organizers on the way the messages were deciphered.
8. The organisers have also set up an official landing page, which includes pretty much everything mentioned here. But who knows? They *may* have scattered some clues around, so best if you checked it out.
(Featured Image: Erik Tham/Corbis)
Disclaimer: This contest and write up was sponsored by the organiser, who wishes to remain anonymous until a later date.
