AES Encryption

Classify the key strings and encrypted blocks from the BS203 AES challenge.

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Question

Which of the given strings contains an AES key, and which one is ciphertext?

The original classroom challenge mixed key containers and ciphertext blocks that look alike.
The original classroom challenge mixed key containers and ciphertext blocks that look alike.

Goals

  • Distinguish a key-container string from a ciphertext block.
  • Connect a hidden 16-character key with one AES-128 decryption.

Method

Revisit Project I from the Fall 2023 BS203 Linear Algebra class as an eight-round simulator.

  • Inspect one unused key string and one unused encrypted string in each round.
  • Choose the string that contains 16 consecutive characters used as the AES key.
  • Check the classification, then reveal the hidden key window and decoded message.

Try an example

Project I: AES Challenge

Source code ↗ Open full screen ↗

Classify all eight matched pairs from the original BS203 assignment. Each round contains one key-container string and one ciphertext block.

Controls: Select the string that contains the AES key. If the choice is wrong, retry the pair; if it is correct, inspect the hidden 16-character key and decoded message, then continue.