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Chapter 9: Another Curious Case


Previously: The hex dump revealed some technical information like IP address of the Coatis Computer. But how could that be helpful?


You are hoping that the previous message would have been helpful in the investigation.

It's the same day. And you have recieved another assignment. But this time it does not seem related to the current case.


A G I L    I n v e s t i g a t i o n     I n c .
Spellborough, U.K.

15 May, 2009

Assignment #9

OBJECTIVE: Decrypt the Message.

DESCRIPTION: The IP address that you decrypted could be very helpful in our investigation, and we have asked the cyber security personnels to look into it. In the meantime, there is another assignment for you.
One of our another client, Miss Della Simone, registered a queer complaint recently. According to her, one day, when her mom was working routinely on her computer, she found out that all her files had been mysteriously locked automatically and the screen announced "Your files are encrypted". At first, we suspected it might be some handling error by her mom. But she kept assuring that all this happened on its own!
She claimed that her mom was very possibly hacked as the computer screen also prompted them to pay 500 USD to decrypt those files. Finally, on her persistent request, we sent the encrypted files to be cryptanalyzed and cracked, to some of our senior cryptographers. They have replied with a report, which is encrypted with the modern block cipher DES in ECB mode.
Decrypt and submit that report.

CIPHER INFO: Data Encryption Standard (DES), Mode-of-Operation: Electronic Code Book (ECB)

Encl. (1)
  1. DES Ciphertext and Key.


REPORT
TYPE: DES Ciphertext and the Key
FROM: Senior Cryptanalysts
Date: 15 May, 2009

Ciphertext:
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

Key:
U7sy3VQE



Really, a curious case!

Let's find out what the report says.