2011 Encrypted manuals are out.

[GW Kalrod]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Could you explain why? (Not saying you are wrong, just because I think it would make an interesting read)

128-bit encryption means 128 bits.

The number of permutations is 2^128, or 340282366920938000000000000000000000000 possible permutations.

Even with really fast processors, it would take months to brute force that. Assuming you don't really have access to some kind of supercomputer or massive distributed computing network.

Although a few recent papers have called into question the security. AES-128 encryption. If you like technical stuff, here:
http://eprint.iacr.org/2009/374.pdf

Although they conclude the encryption is fairly secure at this time, some flaws have started to appear.

[pfreivald]

It's something I've worried about since "DriveFastTurnLeft"... If the passwords were random strings of alphanumerics, then they'd be for all intents and purposes impossible to crack in the time frame -- but game hints combined with cribbed passwords, that's just bad cryptology right there!

[Andy Grady]

Here is a question regarding NOT cracking the code..

I am new to the Mac universe, I am trying to download and save the files to my computer and open them with adobe which i have just downloaded. Instead of being successful, it says that the files are damaged and I don't even get the prompt for the password. Anyone with a Mac have a tip or two?

Help would be appreciated.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Andy Grady

Here is a question regarding NOT cracking the code..

I am new to the Mac universe, I am trying to download and save the files to my computer and open them with adobe which i have just downloaded. Instead of being successful, it says that the files are damaged and I don't even get the prompt for the password. Anyone with a Mac have a tip or two?

Help would be appreciated.

Just use the default Preview.app instead of the Adobe one. I never had a problem in the past. You could also try redownloading as they may actually have been downloaded corrupt (it happens).

[Andy Grady]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Just use the default Preview.app instead of the Adobe one. I never had a problem in the past. You could also try redownloading as they may actually have been downloaded corrupt (it happens).

Got it! Thanks! Computer was being temperamental.

[plnyyanks]

Originally Posted by Andy Grady

Here is a question regarding NOT cracking the code..

I am new to the Mac universe, I am trying to download and save the files to my computer and open them with adobe which i have just downloaded. Instead of being successful, it says that the files are damaged and I don't even get the prompt for the password. Anyone with a Mac have a tip or two?

Help would be appreciated.

this happened to me (albeit on Windows), after downloading and renaming the file. I tried again, this time not renaming the PDF (keeping it as Complete_FRC_Game_Manual_05Jan2011.pdf) and it worked fine.

[demosthenes2k8]

Uhh...the passwords aren't usually just alpha. "Drive!Straight?turn.LEFT!?" is a good example. Punctuation adds a little more complexity

"Breakaway4FRC" was "simpler", but would still take a while to bruteforce.
I'm wondering if anyone's just run a bruteforcer during build season to see how long it would actually take...

[Joe Schornak]

On another note:

Does anyone else find it significant that the decryption test file features our favorite picture of our favorite singer? Perhaps FIRST is trying to tell us something more about that hint...

Or perhaps they're just messing with our minds.

[CrazyCarl461]

Originally Posted by Joe Schornak

Does anyone else find it significant that the decryption test file features our favorite picture of our favorite singer? Perhaps FIRST is trying to tell us something more about that hint...

Or perhaps they're just messing with our minds.

It is fairly common for a game hint to appear in the decryption test. As for messing with our minds.. I've always thought that's been the whole point of the hints

[Mark Holschuh]

My memory from past seasons was that we could download the encrypted file of the Competition Handbook prior to the Kickoff, and then open it with the password. This was done to avoid 1500+ teams from trying to download the file at the same time, and locking up the server.

When I click on the link to the file, I just get a request for the password, and am not able to download the file. Are others able to download the file?

[Chris is me]

You have to right click it and "save link as" to download.

[Mark Holschuh]

That worked. Thanks!

[Grim Tuesday]

If anyone was lucky enough, or had enough computing power to crack it, I hope that they would have the maturity not to read it.

The code is essentially 3.8*10^38 permutations, and the fastest single computer can perform 10^15 floating point operations per second (FLOPS). By comparison, a Core i7 is about 12 gigaflops.

Correct me if im wrong, but I believe that the math is [(3.8*10^38)/(10^15)]

Which ends up with 3.8 × 10^23 seconds. 1.2049721 × 10^16 years. Thats quite a long time. Unless, of course, someone gets lucky.

I feel like I did the math wrong, though. Someone kindly correct me.

[Christopher149]

You actually did do the math correctly, as long as each permutation requires one floating-point operation.

[Trent B]

This discussion came around one and a half years ago. For those of you not around.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=78124