The Ethical Hacker Network - Base 64 Encoded Value

Manu Zacharia (-M-)

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Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« on: July 07, 2006, 12:58:26 PM »

Hi Friends,

I am posting more questions that I have faced during my AFCEH course. Please discuss the same. The next question is:

Quote

What is the Base64 Encoded value of the text Hello Ankit?

1.   SGVsbG8gQW5raXQ=
2.   DLUdcU4hXL3shTS=
3.   MXAtbW9iYU5raXT=
4.   PMBrgT5hZA1abPW=
5.   None of the above.

Regards,

The Morpheus


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Manu Zacharia
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Dengar13

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2006, 01:59:19 PM »

What do you think the answer is?


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don

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2006, 02:24:04 PM »

I agree with Dengar13. We will help, but I don't think giving the answer helps you understand. If you were to offer up your answer and the reasoning behind it, I think most would be more than willing to offer up their own thoughts.

Give and take...

Don


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pcsneaker

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2006, 04:21:11 AM »

Has anybody of you heard about that "renowned computer security expert Ankit Fadia" ?
I don't know who Ankit Fadia is but I'm wondering why somebody should be able to en/decode base64 without using an En/Decoder - so what sense does it make to include such a question in a test ?


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don

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2006, 09:20:08 AM »

He probably has a much experience as any other instructor. He's also written several books. So his credentials seem as good as any other person.

On the other hand, he seems to have quite the problem with humility. If you go to the link that Morpheus posted on the cert he's trying to attain, it's named after Ankit. Now there's also a required question with his name encoded? Huh

HMMMM?!?!

Don


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pcsneaker

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2006, 01:42:21 PM »

I didn't have the intention to doubt the credentials of this guy in any way.

I'm just wondering about the questions related to that cert that have been posted here. All of these questions (or better the proposed answers) seems to be really odd, so imho the value of that cert seems to be at least shady.

But thats only my opinion and is just based on the questions I've read - so thats what lead me to the question if somebody of you knows more about that guy and that cert.

But no offense intended, I'm just trying to get a bit more information !


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Manu Zacharia (-M-)

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2006, 10:13:39 PM »

Hi Everybody,

Ok Let me throw some lights regarding Ankit Fadia and about his course and about why I am or we are doing it.

Ankit Fadia is a well known IT Security Expert from India. He is now only 21 years. When he was 15 or 16, he helped CIA in decrypting some codes sent by Osama Bin Laden. Since then, he works as a free lance IT security consultants to CIA also. We wrote so many books, at the age of 16 or 17. You can have a look at his resume http://www.sis.smu.edu.sg/news_events/news/detailedprofile.pdf . He is also working as security consultants to various IT Giants like Wipro, Infosys etc and owns a Security Consulting firm at Malaysia. Works with Government agencies also for forensic cases.

Even though there are so many courses available in the IT Security industry, here in India, no special security training is available except for MCSE (Security) and CCSP. CEH is only getting famous here and so he started this Initiative to build a community of Ethical Hackers.

Regarding the course coverage and the standard, he has clearly given in the site, what he will be covering in the course. The course is of duration one month, in which he will be taking the classes through Video Conferencing (2 sessions) at certain business centres. The rest sessions are CBT (like learnkey and CBTNuggets) which can be accessed via the Study Centre only. The course fee is only around 112 Dollars. (Indian Rupees 5000). So whoever is interested in the first steps of security took this course. I am not saying that this course is a very good one or the only course avaialble in India, but in my point, knowledge is power and its always good.

Regarding the questions I posted, its not for my home work or submitting my assignments. The course is already over and I am just discussing the same with you so that I can get all the expert advices.

Regards,

The Morpheus


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don

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2006, 11:45:43 PM »

Security training of any kind is better than ignorance. Thanks for sharing.

BTW - Paste Answer #1 into the form at:

http://www.securitystats.com/tools/base64.php

Don


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pcsneaker

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2006, 05:12:23 AM »

I finally tried to get some information about that guy and the cert he's offering.

After googling some time I came up on one hand with a lot of statements made obviously by himself and exclusivley by indian press saying that this guy is the very best comupter security guru the world has ever seen - and on the other hand some posts to different indian mailing lists where the posters states that Fadia is worse than a script kiddie.

To quote one from one of the posts (see full story here)

Quote

I just want to share my findings with you.

Any official citation by FBI/CIA/CBI for Fadia = 0 (They don't even
bother about any explanation)
Any confirmation of his self-claims = 0 (Nobody, expect
him knows, if they are real)
Skill level of Fadia = Only God knows !!

Another post states that he is even in trouble concerning the legality of the cert he issues.

I'm not sure what to think about all that, but taking into concern the quality of the few questions that have been posted here I tend to have at least some doubts.

Quote from: Don

Security training of any kind is better than ignorance.

I disagree when you use the addition "of any kind" - otherwise you are right.


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Kev

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2006, 09:58:28 AM »

Forgive me for writing this,but I dont like his books and now I think I like his Cert program even less. His book Ethical Hacking jumps all over the place and has the feeling of being written by a kid and published by someone who didnt understand the material so just sent it out hoping for the best. I feel bad tearing down a book because I know it takes a great effort to produce one, but on the other hand it needs to have some quality if you dare ask $49.99 !


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Manu Zacharia (-M-)

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2006, 01:50:39 AM »

Quote from: Kev on July 09, 2006, 09:58:28 AM

Hi All,

Thanks for pointing out all the additional information which you all have pointed out. It was a real eye opener for all of us. However, our aim is to learn and not this particular certification. And even if we learn a bit of info, thats more than enough for us. Thanks for the light.

Regards,

The Morpheus


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don

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2006, 10:04:15 AM »

I hope that's not a farewell post?

How did you and your classmates do on the exam? How was the class? Give us the details. Grin

Don


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Kev

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2006, 11:51:01 AM »

Quote

I will say you seem to have a good attitude about learning. Keep thinking like that and you will be very successful.


« Last Edit: July 14, 2006, 12:08:40 PM by don »	Logged

Oyle

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #13 on: July 17, 2006, 06:10:08 PM »

The answer is #1.

Dr. Death's Encryption and Decryption tools at:

http://www.securedeath.com/crypt.php

In Igpay Atinlay it's:
elloHay nkitAay

In ROT-13:
Uryyb Naxvg


« Last Edit: July 17, 2006, 06:18:46 PM by Oyle »	Logged

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Manu Zacharia (-M-)

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Re: Base 64 Encoded Value - AFCEH Question

« Reply #14 on: July 19, 2006, 11:30:12 PM »

Quote from: don on July 14, 2006, 10:04:15 AM

I hope that's not a farewell post?

How did you and your classmates do on the exam? How was the class? Give us the details. Grin

Don

Hi Don and everybody,

Sorry for not loggin in for few days as I was having some other other engagements. Coming back to the track, the first exam was a failure as there were some bugs in the online testing program. So the exam was postponed for two months. In the second exam, we were given a word document to fill in the answer. Since we were writing it for the second time, he put all confusing questions like -

Quote

You discover that your system has a modified version of the Prosiak trojan installed on it. Which is the first countermeasure you will take?

1.   Block access to Port 22222 with a firewall.
2.   Block access to Port 222222 with a firewall.
3.   Install an Antivirus tool.
4.   Port Scan your system.
5.   All of the Above.

Enter Correct Answer:

and

Quote

The intimidation based social engineering technique is most likely to work against which type of a victim?

1.   If the victim is does not speak English too well.
2.   If the victim is a new employee.
3.   If you are a very smooth sweet talker.
4.   If the victim does not know you.
5.   If the victim knows who you are the CEO of a big company.

Enter Correct Answer:

And I am not posting these questions for answers or discussion, but to let you know the standards and patters of the question. Most of the questions had more than one answer if you go theoratically. Now coming to the results, around 500 people participated in the first batch out of which only 21 cleared the exams. And unfortunately, I am not one among them. My score was 62.2%. Pass % required is 70%. However, I am planning to re-appear in the next session.

Thanks for the all the support and I will be a regular active member of this forum.


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