Bandit Level 4: The Human-Readable Hunt (No, Not a Book Club)

Introduction: Not All Files Are Created Equal

You’ve navigated directories and uncovered hidden files. You’re practically a digital Indiana Jones! But sometimes, even when you find the right file, it just stares back at you like a jumbled mess of symbols. Welcome to Bandit Level 4, where you’ll learn that not every file is meant for human eyes, and how to tell the difference.

The description for Bandit Level 4 is intriguing:

The password for the next level is stored in the only human-readable file in the inhere directory.

“Only human-readable file.” This implies two things: first, we’re going into an inhere directory (again!), and second, there will be multiple files, but only one we can actually understand. This is where your new best friend, the file command, comes in!

Level 4: The Typist’s Trial (and the file Command’s Triumph)

You’ve just logged in as bandit4 (using the password from Level 3). As per our ritual, ls first:

ls

You’ll see:

inhere

Ah, the familiar inhere directory. Let’s cd into it:

cd inhere

Now that you’re inside, let’s ls again to see what treasures (or trash) await:

ls

This time, you’re greeted with a sight that might make your eyes glaze over:

-file00
-file01
-file02
-file03
-file04
-file05
-file06
-file07
-file08
-file09

Ten files! And by their names, they give no clue about their content. You might be tempted to just cat each one, hoping for the best.

cat -file00

…and you might get lucky on the first try, or you might see a screen full of garbled nonsense, a “binary file” warning, or even your terminal getting weird. This is because many of these are likely binary files – programs, images, or other data not designed for direct human reading. Trying to cat a binary file is like trying to read a textbook written in alien hieroglyphs.

Command 1: file (The Digital Forensics Expert)

This is where the super-handy file command shines. It inspects a file and tells you its type. It’s like a digital X-ray machine for your files.

Let’s try it on -file00:

file -file00

You’ll probably get something like:

-file00: data

“Data” is usually a polite way of saying “not human-readable text.” You’ll have to repeat this for each file, or get a bit more efficient.

Becoming a file Master: Loop or Specificity

You could go through each file manually: file -file00, file -file01, etc. Eventually, one of them will stand out.

You’ll see something like:

file -file07 # Or whatever the correct one is for your game instance

And the output might be:

-file07: ASCII text

“ASCII text!” That’s your golden ticket! “ASCII text” means it’s a plain text file, ready for your reading pleasure.

Command 2: cat (The Final Reveal)

Once you’ve identified the “ASCII text” file (let’s say it’s -file07 for this example, but it could be different in your game instance), you know what to do:

cat -file07

And there it is! The password for bandit5 will be displayed. Copy it carefully!

Moving Onward:

Got that password? Excellent!

exit

Then, connect to the next level:

ssh [email protected] -p 2220

Enter your new password, and you’re officially on bandit5! You’re learning some serious detective skills!

Conclusion: The file Command, Your New Best Friend

You’ve successfully navigated Bandit Level 4, adding another critical tool to your command-line arsenal:

• The versatile file command for identifying file types, separating the wheat from the binary chaff.
• The persistence to go through multiple files (or use a clever loop, for the overachievers!).

This knowledge isn’t just for wargames; it’s essential for understanding your Linux system and dealing with various file formats in the real world.

Next time, we’ll dive into Bandit Level 5, which promises more thrilling file system antics!

SPOILER ALERT: Short Answer for Bandit Level 4

1. Log in as bandit4.
2. Change directory: cd inhere
3. Use the file command on each file to find the one that is ASCII text. Example: file -file00, file -file01, etc.
4. Once found (e.g., -file07), use cat to display its content: cat -file07.
5. The output is the password for bandit5.

Continue to Bandit Level 5!