CyberQuest 2025 - Cinder Repo Ghost

Description

Cinder Repo — Ghost Index (Player Handout) - HARD

Type: Git forensics (repo archaeology)

TASK

Generate a local Git repo using the provided script(s). Three tokens are hidden in three different Git artefacts. NOTE → STASH → TAG. Combine the three tokens to produce a flag.

Note: Each token is labeled where it appears: tkn1: …, tkn2: …, tkn3: ….

RUN

Linux/macOS

bash setup_cinder_repo.sh
cd cinder_repo_ghost

Windows (PowerShell)

powershell
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\setup_cinder_repo.ps1
Set-Location .\cinder_repo_ghost

RULES

• No brute force; everything is local.
• Don’t modify the repo; reading is enough.
• Submit format: CQ25{TOKEN1_TOKEN2_TOKEN3}.

Metadata

• Filename: setup_cinder_repo.ps1, setup_cinder_repo.sh
• Tags: git, base64

Solution

I didn’t really understand the task, because the parts of the flag is present in the files:

NOTE=$(printf 'dGtuMTogUEg0TlQwTQ==' | base64 -d)
STASHW=$(printf 'dGtuMjogMU5EM1g='   | base64 -d)
TAGW=$(printf 'dGtuMzogMFIxRzFO'     | base64 -d)

tkn1: PH4NT0M
tkn2: 1ND3X
tkn3: 0R1G1N

Flag: CQ25{PH4NT0M_1ND3X_0R1G1N}