Can you solve the #F5CipherChallenge at Black Hat 2019?

If you are at Black Hat, definitely stop by the F5 booth in the expo hall to get a free t-shirt and participate in the F5 Cipher Challenge! You will be given both a t-shirt and an F5 Cipher Challenge card that has instructions for how to play and how to use both resources to solve the puzzle.



The puzzle can be solved using just the card and the t-shirt, but we know that some folks would prefer to solve it with code. You will still need to complete the steps on the card in order to figure out how to decipher the encrypted message, but if you want to do that with code in lieu of using the t-shirt, we've got you covered. To that end, here is a JSON block which is a model of the data structure on the t-shirt itself.


Please continue to bring your solved puzzles by the booth. Feel free to ask for help here or on Twitter, but avoid posting hints, answers, or spoilers here.


Check it out!


{
    "name": "/",
    "children":  [{
        "name": "E",
        "children":  [{
            "name": "R",
            "children":  [{
                "name": "R",
                "children":  [{
                    "name": "P",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "A",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "O",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "E",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "R",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "A",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "N",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "F",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "E",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "U",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "A",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }]
                }, {
                    "name": "T",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "O",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "P",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "Y",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "F",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "Y",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "A",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "G",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "N",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "R",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "U",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }]
                }]
            }, {
                "name": "Z",
                "children":  [{
                    "name": "O",
                    "children":  []
                }, {
                    "name": "R",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "O",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "Z",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "X",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "T",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "I",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "E",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "D",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "A",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }]
                }]
            }]
        }, {
            "name": "V",
            "children":  [{
                "name": "E",
                "children":  [{
                    "name": "N",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "L",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "L",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "L",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "G",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "H",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "N",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "R",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "I",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "H",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "S",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "I",
                                        "children":  [{
                                            "name": "L",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }, {
                                            "name": "T",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }]
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "L",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "F",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "R",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "F",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "V",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "L",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }]
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "I",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "L",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "S",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "A",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "A",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "G",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "A",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }]
                    }]
                }, {
                    "name": "G",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "N",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "H",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "R",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "I",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "S",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "B",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "P",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "N",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "R",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "M",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "H",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "B",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }, {
                                    "name": "G",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "E",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "G",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "A",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "H",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }, {
                                    "name": "R",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }]
                        }]
                    }]
                }]
            }, {
                "name": "L",
                "children":  [{
                    "name": "E",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "U",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "S",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "L",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "L",
                        "children":  []
                    }]
                }, {
                    "name": "I",
                    "children":  []
                }]
            }]
        }]
    }, {
        "name": "I",
        "children":  [{
            "name": "E",
            "children":  [{
                "name": "S",
                "children":  [{
                    "name": "N",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "A",
                        "children":  []
                    }, {
                        "name": "D",
                        "children":  []
                    }]
                }, {
                    "name": "S",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "Q",
                        "children":  []
                    }, {
                        "name": "E",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "T",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "N",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "F",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "P",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "V",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "Z",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }]
                    }]
                }]
            }, {
                "name": "D",
                "children":  [{
                    "name": "G",
                    "children":  []
                }, {
                    "name": "I",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "N",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "C",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "D",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "S",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "N",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "O",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "V",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "C",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "A",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "L",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "R",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "A",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }, {
                                    "name": "H",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "O",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "B",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "D",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "L",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "N",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }]
                        }]
                    }]
                }]
            }]
        }, {
            "name": "N",
            "children":  [{
                "name": "A",
                "children":  [{
                    "name": "H",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "M",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "C",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "T",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "E",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "E",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "I",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "M",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "C",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "C",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "M",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }]
                    }]
                }, {
                    "name": "Y",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "N",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "B",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "T",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "S",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "Y",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "B",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "Y",
                            "children":  []
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "A",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "S",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "K",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "B",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "H",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "A",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "Y",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "B",
                                        "children":  [{
                                            "name": "R",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }, {
                                            "name": "N",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }]
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "S",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "R",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "R",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "C",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "E",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "P",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "A",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "I",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }, {
                                    "name": "B",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }]
                        }]
                    }]
                }]
            }, {
                "name": "E",
                "children":  [{
                    "name": "R",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "T",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "L",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "I",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "D",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "R",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "D",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "E",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "S",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "D",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }]
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "N",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "L",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "A",
                                "children":  []
                            }, {
                                "name": "V",
                                "children":  []
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "G",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "E",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "S",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "A",
                                    "children":  []
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "A",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "L",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "L",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "R",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "U",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }]
                        }]
                    }]
                }, {
                    "name": "R",
                    "children":  [{
                        "name": "C",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "O",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "P",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "R",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "N",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "F",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "T",
                                        "children":  [{
                                            "name": "R",
                                            "children":  [{
                                                "name": "N",
                                                "children":  []
                                            }, {
                                                "name": "M",
                                                "children":  [{
                                                    "name": "A",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }, {
                                                    "name": "E",
                                                    "children":  [{
                                                        "name": "N",
                                                        "children":  []
                                                    }, {
                                                        "name": "T",
                                                        "children":  []
                                                    }]
                                                }]
                                            }]
                                        }, {
                                            "name": "T",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }]
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "M",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "R",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "F",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "D",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "T",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }]
                        }, {
                            "name": "R",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "R",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "O",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "N",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "T",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "C",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "F",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "E",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "T",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "M",
                                        "children":  [{
                                            "name": "M",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }, {
                                            "name": "E",
                                            "children":  [{
                                                "name": "N",
                                                "children":  [{
                                                    "name": "E",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }, {
                                                    "name": "F",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }]
                                            }, {
                                                "name": "E",
                                                "children":  [{
                                                    "name": "R",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }, {
                                                    "name": "N",
                                                    "children":  [{
                                                        "name": "P",
                                                        "children":  []
                                                    }, {
                                                        "name": "O",
                                                        "children":  []
                                                    }]
                                                }]
                                            }]
                                        }]
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "C",
                                        "children":  [{
                                            "name": "T",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }, {
                                            "name": "O",
                                            "children":  [{
                                                "name": "O",
                                                "children":  []
                                            }, {
                                                "name": "R",
                                                "children":  [{
                                                    "name": "T",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }, {
                                                    "name": "N",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }]
                                            }]
                                        }]
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }]
                        }]
                    }, {
                        "name": "S",
                        "children":  [{
                            "name": "N",
                            "children":  []
                        }, {
                            "name": "V",
                            "children":  [{
                                "name": "D",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "U",
                                    "children":  []
                                }, {
                                    "name": "P",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "V",
                                        "children":  [{
                                            "name": "V",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }, {
                                            "name": "A",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }]
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "Z",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }, {
                                "name": "S",
                                "children":  [{
                                    "name": "D",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "P",
                                        "children":  [{
                                            "name": "P",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }, {
                                            "name": "U",
                                            "children":  [{
                                                "name": "S",
                                                "children":  [{
                                                    "name": "D",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }, {
                                                    "name": "E",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }]
                                            }, {
                                                "name": "P",
                                                "children":  []
                                            }]
                                        }]
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "U",
                                        "children":  [{
                                            "name": "U",
                                            "children":  []
                                        }, {
                                            "name": "P",
                                            "children":  [{
                                                "name": "U",
                                                "children":  [{
                                                    "name": "E",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }, {
                                                    "name": "A",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }]
                                            }, {
                                                "name": "V",
                                                "children":  [{
                                                    "name": "D",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }, {
                                                    "name": "I",
                                                    "children":  []
                                                }]
                                            }]
                                        }]
                                    }]
                                }, {
                                    "name": "V",
                                    "children":  [{
                                        "name": "D",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }, {
                                        "name": "R",
                                        "children":  []
                                    }]
                                }]
                            }]
                        }]
                    }]
                }]
            }]
        }]
    }]
}


You can also download and use the attached zip file which contains both the above block as well as a simplified JSON structure (they are more or less the same but one may be easier to work with depending on your preferred language.


Published Aug 07, 2019
Version 1.0

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