Solutions: The Hex Factor v2009 (Level A200)

Once again most of the answers can be found using Google (or other online search engines), however of the questions are more challenging and require more background knowledge of the hacker universum and as a consequence more searching on the world wide web.


Question: What is the message that is hidden in the ICMP packet located somewhere on the main page of “The Hex Factor” website?

The ICMP packet is located on the background of The Hex Factors logo, this ICMP packet should be decoded to get the answer below. You can identify the IP packet because the hex string starts "45 00", which means IP version 4 and 5 is the IP Header Length in Octets. If you further decode the packet using IP header specifications, you will see it is an ICMP packet with a message as payload.
Answer: My fu is too l33t for you

Question: Who is this?

Answer: Robert (Tappan) Morris

Question: What device is this?

Answer: Enigma machine

Question: What is the title of this book?

By using www.tineye.com you can search for similar pictures on the Internet. See there results here. Somebody during BruCON showed me this site, thanks for that! (sorry, no clue anymore who you were)
Answer: Secrets & Lies

Question: What can be considered the most famous novel in "the early years"? It has won the Nebula Award, an award given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Hint: 2+2=5
Answer: Neuromancer

Question: In what country can you find the company that makes one of the best (if not the best) decompilers?
IDA Pro would be one of the better decompilers. It is created by Hex-Rays, a company based in Liege (Belgium). No, we are not sponsored by them (unfortunately though)
Answer: Belgium

Question: If you get on the ‘Rossiya’ at its most western starting point and get off after 3035 km. In what town are you then?
By combining information found on the homepage of Rossiva and information found on google maps (or any other atlas application) the town can be calculated where the Rossiya is at 3035 km.
Answer: Barabinsk

Question: What is the number (2 digits after comma) of Microsoft shares you could have bought when you sold 1 share of Google at NASDAQ closure at June, 3 2009?
Answer: 19, 86

More of that? Get your tickets now for BruCON (September, Brussels) or at SANS London (December, London)