Backdoor

Summary

After discovering that V called someone at the Academy's Crypto Department, Caine heads over to Crypto to investigate. He runs into his friend Neville Clark, who is talkative, if obfuscating. The Cube Hunters entice Nev into sharing more information by giving him a puzzle, designed by jbd, to solve. Nev takes the bait, and gives us a backdoor that leads to a gridded file system.

Dragging the commands onto the grid to create various configurations yields a series of log snippets. Some of the logs resemble the Perplex City Errorlogs that were found before the puzzle cards were released.

The interface can be accessed at the following URL:

http://events.perplexcity.com/gateway/commandinterface/index.html

As of 12:36, 1 July 2006 (PDT), the puzzle is still being worked on. Join us in #syzygy, or see the discussion on the Talk page or at Unforums.

Commands

Through the combined work of jalapenodude, pelrun, and jbd, #syzygy has determined that the commands appear to work as follows:

The program pointer starts in upper left corner.

Directions:

popen - east
pread - west
mount - se
pwrite - e
switch - se
copy - s
flush - s

'rotate' does something different depending on where it is executed, but also (sometimes?) where it comes from. Here are some directions that occur:

 e  e  e  e  s
 s ne  n  n  s
 e  n ne  n  s
ne  n ne  n  s
ne  n ne  n  n

However, it is possible for r3c5 to go north if entered from the west, for example.

The same goes for 'zone':

e e e w s
s w w n n
e e e n w
n w w n n
n w w n n

'end' ends execution whenever it gets hit on a specific error message. It is very good for testing where the code is going. 'cache' seems to only work as an end point. 'run' can go anywhere that the program pointer isn't reaching.

Configurations

Here are the various configurations and logs that have been discovered.

Config 1: Smart Dust Cameras

Configuration: zone, mount, run, rotate, rotate/ - - popen, zone, cache/ - - pwrite pread -/ - - rotate - end/ - - end - -

Config 2: Approaching the Master

Configuration: zone, mount, run, rotate, rotate/ - - popen, rotate, cache/ - - end - -

Alternate Configuration: zone, mount, run, pwrite, cache/ - - popen, rotate, cache

Config 3: Neuro Scanner

Configuration: zone mount run switch switch/ - - popen rotate cache / - - end - -

Alternate Configuration: zone mount run switch rotate/ - - popen rotate cache / - - end - -

Alternate Configuration: zone mount run cache -/ - - popen rotate -

Alternate Configuration: zone mount run - -/ - - switch cache -/ - - - rotate -

Config 4: Laser

Configuration: zone mount run -- –/copy zone zone cache --/copy pwrite rotate -- --/copy rotate -- -- --/rotate -- -- -- --

Config 5: Sphere

Configuration: zone mount run -- / copy zone zone cache - / copy pwrite rotate -- / copy rotate --- / switch ----

Config 6: Gatehouse 24

Configuration:' Zone Mount Run Flush -- / -- -- Copy Switch Flush / -- -- Pwrite Rotate Rotate

When this configuration is run, a message Operation in progress appears. The screen then distorts and wavers. Finally, a log appears. Discussion on Unforums suggests that the logs may rotate, or appear randomly.

Log 1

[ GATEHOUSE 24 ]

:: start 143805 +000000
:: start 143805 +000000
:: archive location { dev 7 }
:: index { yes }
:: retention { 9 }
:: processing time { 0.53 }
::

A

// labeled A;
// triangulated location mapped;
// passive badge { present }
// badge query { friedberg, i {119yr} }

You really said that [?]

// preliminary review complete

B

// labeled B;
// triangulated location mapped;
// passive badge { present }
// badge query { carrick, h {624yr} }

I was hungry [!] I'm not diplomatic when I'm starving [.]

// preliminary review complete
// 45% positive emotional state
// cross reference surveillance footage

{ extrapolated: badge {line 16} extracted }

{ gatekeeper system 24;
active badge interrogated, passed }

FRIEDBERG, I

I bet you fifty lecks your stuff is wiped when you get back [.]

// preliminary review complete

CARRICK, H

Hah [,] I'd like to see him even try [.]

// preliminary review complete


[ LOG EXCERPT ENDS ]

Log 2

[ GATEHOUSE 24 ]

:: start 055814 +000000
:: start 061055 +000000
:: archive location { dev 7 }
:: index { yes }
:: retention { 9 }
:: processing time { 0.53 }
::

A

// labeled A;
// triangulated location mapped;
// passive badge { present }
// badge query { porta, c {112yr} }

Where have you been [?]

// preliminary review complete

B

// labeled B;
// triangulated location mapped;
// passive badge { present }
// badge query { bazeries, l {520yr} }

So I'm a little late [.] Relax [.]

// preliminary review complete
// 45% positive emotional state
// cross reference surveillance footage

{ extrapolated: badge {line 16} extracted }

{ gatekeeper system 24;
active badge interrogated, passed }

PORTA, C

We have to hurry and get this thing done [.]

// preliminary review complete

BAZERIES, L

Is he here yet [?]

// preliminary review complete

PORTA, C

I think so [.] Let's hurry [.]

// preliminary review complete


BAZERIES, L

I hope there's coffee [.]

// preliminary review complete

PORTA, C

Focus on the project [,] dunderhead [.]

// preliminary review complete


[ LOG EXCERPT ENDS ]

Log 3

[ GATEHOUSE 24 ]

:: start 192355 +000000
:: start 192401 +000000
:: archive location { dev 7 }
:: index { yes }
:: retention { 9 }
:: processing time { 0.53 }
::

A

// labeled A;
// triangulated location mapped;
// passive badge { present }
// badge query { ashford, r {737yr} }

Hey [,] wait up [.]

// preliminary review complete

B

// labeled B;
// triangulated location mapped;
// passive badge { present }
// badge query { wooster, m {019yr} }

Oh [,] sorry [.] Hard meeting today [.]

// preliminary review complete
// 23% positive emotional state
// cross reference surveillance footage

{ extrapolated: badge {line 16} extracted }

{ gatekeeper system 24;
active badge interrogated, passed }

ASHFORD, R

Do you ever wonder [...]

// preliminary review complete

WOOSTER, M

Don't say it [.]

// preliminary review complete

ASHFORD, R

I know [,] I know [.] No place is safe [.]

// preliminary review complete

[ LOG EXCERPT ENDS ]