The Hidden Quest - KnightCTF 2025
Hello Hackers.. I hope you guys are doing lots of hacking! Today, I will tell you how you can solve the "The Hidden Quest" challenge from the OSINT category of KnightCTF 2025. I am the author of this challenge, and I’m excited to share the solution with you.
This challenge required participants to perform OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) by investigating the social media presence of the organizers, Knight Squad. Below is the step-by-step solution:
1. Identify the Relevant Social Media Platform
The challenge description mentioned "recent posts," which suggests checking platforms where Knight Squad shares updates. Facebook is one of the most common platforms for such announcements.
2. Examine Recent Posts on the Facebook Page
Visit the Knight Squad’s Facebook page.
The page contained several countdown and other posts related to the CTF event:
- "5 days to go!"
- "4 days to go!"
- "3 days to go!"
- "2 days to go!"
- "1 day to go!"
and some more posts related to the CTF.
3. Spot the Anomaly
Most of these posts had similar content and hashtags. However, the "4 days to go" post included additional hashtags:
- #Flag
- #FlagForYou
This hints that the post contains something unique compared to the others.
4. Download and Analyze the Image
The banner image for the "4 days to go" post was the next point of investigation. Participants were encouraged to download and closely inspect the image.
5. Look Closely – It's Not Steganography!
At first glance, the image might seem like it contains steganography, but no tools were needed. Upon zooming in on the top-left corner of the banner, small text could be seen. This text revealed the flag.
Key Takeaways
- Attention to Detail: OSINT challenges often require careful observation.
- Follow the Clues: The challenge description and hashtags guided participants to the solution.
- Stay Curious: Always consider simple solutions before diving into complex tools like steganography.
Congratulations to those who solved it!
Happy Hacking 🤟🤟