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Home Ciphercase 2026 Breaking Bad Broadcast
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Breaking Bad Broadcast

1. Extract the Challenge Files

First, extract the provided Operation_Kingpin.zip archive:

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unzip Operation_Kingpin.zip

The extracted directory contains:

  • README.txt
  • madrigal_vault.zip
  • burner_phone.txt

2. Read the Challenge Instructions

Read the contents of README.txt:

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cat README.txt

The README provides the instructions and hints required to proceed with the challenge.


3. Decode the Burner Phone Message

The burner_phone.txt file contains a Base64-encoded message.

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cat burner_phone.txt

The encoded value can be decoded using a Base64 decoder. The decoded value is:

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LOS-POLLOS-HERMANOS-99PERCENT

This recovered value is used as the password for the encrypted archive.


4. Extract the Encrypted Madrigal Vault

Use 7z to extract the encrypted archive:

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7z x madrigal_vault.zip

When prompted for the password, enter:

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LOS-POLLOS-HERMANOS-99PERCENT

The archive is successfully extracted.


5. Inspect the Extracted Data

Navigate into the extracted directory:

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cd madrigal_vault
ls

Inspect the recovered data-drop files:

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cat drop_albuquerque.dat
cat drop_albuquerque.pub
cat drop_elpaso.pub
cat drop_elpaso.pub
cat drop_houston.pub
cat drop_houston.pub

The files contain large hexadecimal values required for the next stage.


6. Run the Solver

Run the provided solver:

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python3 solver.py

The solver processes the recovered values and applies the required mathematical reconstruction, including the Chinese Remainder Theorem, to recover the hidden flag.


7. Flag

The recovered flag is:

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CYS{h313nh3rg_bl3_sky_br0adcast}

Conclusion

The challenge was solved through the following sequence:

ZIP Extraction → README Analysis → Base64 Decoding → Password Recovery → Encrypted Archive Extraction → Data-Drop Analysis → Solver Execution → Flag Recovery

Flag

CYS{h313nh3rg_bl3_sky_br0adcast}
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