> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://centinels.gitbook.io/home/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://centinels.gitbook.io/home/writeups/umdctf/misc-spice-harvest-data-recovery.md).

# misc/Spice Harvest Data Recovery

51 solves / 454 points

### Writeup by Aryan

The challenge originally prompts you to download a spreadsheet called `spice_analysis.csv`. When you open this spreadsheet, some data appears to be corrupted.

<figure><img src="https://815482121-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FfFcGsyFpBWGm4LhF9wJx%2Fuploads%2FcoLzmHAkbAr4Tn1mbNcn%2FUMDCTF_Spice_Harvest_1.PNG?alt=media&amp;token=7eb4bd1c-59e7-47e4-993e-598c6f5a7adc" alt=""><figcaption><p>How the spreadsheet originally looks upon downloading it</p></figcaption></figure>

My first thought was to clean all the data by taking a look at the corrupted columns and deleting the out-of-place characters and then replacing the semicolons with colons, mapping them to the original data format. Maybe the `Group _` letters might spell out something special? However, when scrolling through the sheet, I saw an interesting entry.

<figure><img src="https://815482121-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FfFcGsyFpBWGm4LhF9wJx%2Fuploads%2FgTchRf4OVrahZW3BT99k%2FUMDCTF_Spice_Harvest_2.PNG?alt=media&amp;token=78902552-4f58-43e9-b9db-284cfa286499" alt=""><figcaption><p>Look at Row 107!</p></figcaption></figure>

The data was clearly hex, and plugging it into CyberChef provided the following message:  ``LOOK TO ONE OF EARTH'S GREATEST RULERS IN THE ANCIENT EMPIRE OF ROME. LET ONE EARTH YEAR BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF HIS DOMINION HELP YOU DECODE THAT WHICH IS SHROUDED BY HIS NAMESAKE: &|sr%uLdb4Cbfd09`55b?0`?0f9b0dA`4b0CbGbc=0A_HbC0_GbC0c==N``

Don't waste your time on riddles, use dcode.fr! Flag was encoded with ROT-47.

Flag: `UMDCTF{53cr375_h1dd3n_1n_7h3_5p1c3_r3v34l_p0w3r_0v3r_4ll}`