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Bandit Level 11 to 12: Cracking the Caesar Cipher (ROT13)

Introduction

After decoding Base64, we now face our first real cipher in Bandit Level 11 to 12. The password isn’t encoded for data transport; it’s been deliberately obfuscated using a simple character-shifting algorithm.

This level introduces the Caesar cipher, one of the oldest and most well-known forms of encryption. We’ll learn how to crack it with tr, a command-line utility for translating characters. 📜


The Challenge: Level 11 Goal

The level’s objective is described as follows:

Bandit Level 10 to 11: The Secret Language of Base64

Introduction

So far, we’ve located files, filtered their contents, and even extracted text from binary data. Bandit Level 10 to 11 introduces a new core concept: data encoding. The password is in plain sight, but it’s been transformed into a different format.

This level teaches us how to recognize and reverse Base64 encoding, a common method for representing binary data as text. 🧑‍💻


The Challenge: Level 10 Goal

The objective for this level is straightforward:

Bandit Level 9 to 10: Sifting Through Binary Data with 'strings'

Introduction

In our journey so far, we’ve dealt mostly with plain text files. Bandit Level 9 to 10 introduces a new type of challenge: extracting information from a binary file. These files are compiled for machines, not humans, and reading them with cat results in a mess of unreadable characters.

This level teaches us how to use the strings command, a specialized tool for finding and printing the sequences of readable text embedded within binary data. 🧐

How to Install Docker and Docker Compose on Ubuntu Server

Docker has revolutionized how developers build, ship, and run applications. By using containerization, it allows you to package an application with all of its dependencies into a standardized unit for software development. Whether you’re setting up a simple project or deploying a complex backend like Appwrite, having Docker installed correctly is the essential first step.

This guide will walk you through the official and most straightforward method to install Docker Engine and Docker Compose on your Ubuntu 22.04 server.