Tags: downunder osint team_valhalla
Rating:
# DownUnder CTF 2023 Write-up: Excellent Vista!
## Challenge Description
What a nice spot to stop,lookout and watch time go by, EXAMINE the image and discover where this was taken.
NOTE: Flag is case-insensitive and requires placing inside DUCTF{} wrapper! e.g DUCTF{Osint_Lookout}
Author: Yo_Yo_Bro
The "Excellent Vista!" challenge in the DownUnder CTF 2023, categorized as an OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) challenge, presented participants with an image named "ExcellentVista.jpg." The task was to examine the image and determine the location where it was taken. The flag was to be wrapped in the DUCTF{} format, such as DUCTF{Location_Name}.
## How I Solved It
Hey there, it's Dev_vj1 from Team_VALHALLA! Let me walk you through how I tackled the "Excellent Vista!" challenge during the DownUnder CTF.
Step 1: Downloading the Image
I started by downloading the image "ExcellentVista.jpg" from the provided link.
```
https://play.duc.tf/files/79c7bcf86cf07a52fe4d46c20ed11fcb/ExcellentVista.jpg?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNTYyLCJ0ZWFtX2lkIjo4NjEsImZpbGVfaWQiOjEzNX0.ZPdCDw.fQDH7az4Sy8uSpNL5J6H_VgpOMU
```
Step 2: Exploring Exif Data
To extract valuable information from the image, I turned to its Exif data. Exif data often contains metadata about the image, including details about when and where it was taken.
To view the Exif data, I used a handy tool called exiftool. Here's the command I used:
`exiftool ExcellentVista.jpg`
Step 3: Examining the Exif Data
Upon running the exiftool command, I received an output that contained a wealth of information.
```
exiftool ExcellentVista.jpg
ExifTool Version Number : 12.49
File Name : ExcellentVista.jpg
Directory : .
File Size : 2.7 MB
File Modification Date/Time : 2023:09:05 20:30:14+05:30
File Access Date/Time : 2023:09:05 20:30:13+05:30
File Inode Change Date/Time : 2023:09:05 20:30:14+05:30
File Permissions : -rw-r--r--
File Type : JPEG
File Type Extension : jpg
MIME Type : image/jpeg
Exif Byte Order : Big-endian (Motorola, MM)
X Resolution : 72
Y Resolution : 72
Resolution Unit : inches
Y Cb Cr Positioning : Centered
Date/Time Original : 2023:08:31 22:58:56
Create Date : 2023:08:31 22:58:56
Sub Sec Time Original : 00
Sub Sec Time Digitized : 00
GPS Version ID : 2.3.0.0
GPS Latitude Ref : South
GPS Longitude Ref : East
GPS Altitude Ref : Above Sea Level
GPS Speed Ref : km/h
GPS Speed : 0
GPS Img Direction Ref : True North
GPS Img Direction : 122.5013812
GPS Dest Bearing Ref : True North
GPS Dest Bearing : 122.5013812
GPS Horizontal Positioning Error: 6.055886243 m
Padding : (Binary data 2060 bytes, use -b option to extract)
About : uuid:faf5bdd5-ba3d-11da-ad31-d33d75182f1b
Image Width : 4032
Image Height : 3024
Encoding Process : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample : 8
Color Components : 3
Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling : YCbCr4:2:0 (2 2)
Image Size : 4032x3024
Megapixels : 12.2
Create Date : 2023:08:31 22:58:56.00
Date/Time Original : 2023:08:31 22:58:56.00
GPS Altitude : 70.5 m Above Sea Level
GPS Latitude : 29 deg 30' 34.33" S
GPS Longitude : 153 deg 21' 34.46" E
GPS Position : 29 deg 30' 34.33" S, 153 deg 21' 34.46" E
```
Among this information, one line in particular caught my attention:
`GPS Position : 29 deg 30' 34.33" S, 153 deg 21' 34.46" E`
This line revealed the GPS position of where the image was taken. The coordinates were expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds, with 'S' indicating South and'E'indicating East.
Step 4: Converting Coordinates and Searching
To make sense of these coordinates, I first replaced "deg" with the degree symbol "º". Then, I performed a simple Google search using the transformed coordinates.
`29º 30' 34.33" S, 153º 21' 34.46" E`
Google mape link:[ https://www.google.com/maps/place/29%C2%B030'34.3%22S+153%C2%B021'34.5%22E/@-29.5097263,153.3597801,19z/data=!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d-29.5095361!4d153.3595722?entry=ttu ](http://)
after zoom 2 times it's show The result of my search pointed me to a specific location: Durrangan Lookout.
Step 5: Forming the Flag
With the location identified, I formatted the flag in accordance with the challenge requirements, placing it inside DUCTF{}:
`Flag: DUCTF{Durrangan Lookout}`
And that's how I cracked the "Excellent Vista!" OSINT challenge! It was a fun journey of examining Exif data, converting coordinates, and using online resources to uncover the picturesque Durrangan Lookout.
This challenge reminded me of the power of Open-Source Intelligence and how it can lead us to discover fascinating places and solve intriguing puzzles. Kudos to the challenge author, Yo_Yo_Bro, for creating this enjoyable OSINT challenge!
