Rating:

Tenet
=====

Category: misc, reverse

Description
-----------

```
You have to start looking at the world in a new way.

nc 52.192.42.215 9427

tenet-1050118538f6f01c2ad0049587dc0828e8a4f132e539e110f0cb04a8c17b78bf.tar.gz
```

When we unpack the attachment, we'll be given two files:

```
release/
release/server.rb
release/time_machine
```

In order to start solving the task, we needed to understand what the ``time_machine`` does. We spent quite some time in Ida and Ghidra to determine what is going on, but debugging this in GDB was a pain, due to the forking and ptrace capabilities of the executable. This is why we have rewritten the entire logic of the ``time_machine`` manually in C, which is provided below.

```c
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <sys/ptrace.h>
#include <sys/wait.h>
#include <sys/user.h>
#include <errno.h>

int PROCPID = 0;
int DAT_LOOPCOUNTER = 0; // DAT_00302044
long DAT_RIPS[0xfff] = {0}; // DAT_00302060
long long DAT_PEEKDATA = 0; // DAT_0030a060

int perror(int pid, const char *arg)
{
printf("Failed: %s\n", arg);
kill(pid, 0);
//wait(0);
exit(1);
}

long getregs(int pid)
{
struct user_regs_struct regs;
int status = ptrace(PTRACE_GETREGS, pid, NULL, ®s;;
if(status != 0)
{
perror(pid, "ptrace");
}
return regs.rip;
}

void nop()
{
return;
}

void setregs(int pid)
{
int status = 0;
long *regptrs = NULL;
struct user_regs_struct regs = { 0 };
struct user_fpregs_struct fpregs = { 0 };

// set certain values
regs.rip = 0xdead0080;
regs.cs = 0x33;
regs.ss = 0x2b;

// set registers
errno = 0;
status = ptrace(PTRACE_SETREGS, PROCPID, 0, ®s;;
if(status != 0)
{
printf("ERROR SETREGS: 0x%X - PID: %d - errno: 0x%x\n", status, PROCPID, errno);
perror(pid, "ptrace");
}

// set floating pointer registers
errno = 0;
status = ptrace(PTRACE_SETFPREGS, PROCPID, 0, &fpregs);
if(status != 0)
{
printf("ERROR SETREGS: 0x%X - PID: %d - errno: 0x%x\n", status, PROCPID, errno);
perror(pid, "ptrace");
}
}

void zero_data(int pid)
{
long long data;
long long addr = 0x2170000;
while(addr < 0x2171000)
{
data = ptrace(PTRACE_POKEDATA, pid, addr, 0);
if(data != 0)
{
perror(pid, "ptrace");
}
addr += 0x8;
}
}

long check_memory_zero(int pid)
{
unsigned long data;
unsigned long temp = 0;
unsigned long addr = 0x2170000;

// OR the entire contents of 0x1000 block
while(addr < 0x2171000)
{
data = ptrace(PTRACE_PEEKDATA, pid, addr, 0);
temp = temp | data;
addr += 0x8;
}

return data & 0xffffffffffffff00 | (temp == 0);
}

void randomize(int pid)
{
int fd = open("/dev/urandom", 0);
if(fd < 0)
{
perror(pid, "urandom");
}

ssize_t res = read(fd, &DAT_PEEKDATA, 8);
if(res != 8)
{
perror(pid, "read urandom");
}

// copy DAT_PEEKDATA to the specified address
long data = ptrace(PTRACE_POKEDATA, pid, 0x2170000, DAT_PEEKDATA);
if(data != 0)
{
perror(pid, "ptrace");
}
return;
}

long get_rax_rcx(long *temp)
{
struct user_regs_struct regs;
long status;
status = ptrace(PTRACE_GETREGS, PROCPID, NULL, ®s;;
if(status != 0)
{
perror(PROCPID, "ptrace");
}

status = ptrace(PTRACE_PEEKDATA, PROCPID, regs.rip, 0);
if(((status & 0xffff) == 0x050f) || ((status & 0xffff) == 0x340f))
{
*temp = regs.rax;
return 1;
}

return 0;
}

long check_ss()
{
struct user_regs_struct regs;
long status;
status = ptrace(PTRACE_GETREGS, PROCPID, NULL, ®s;;
if(status != 0)
{
perror(PROCPID, "ptrace");
}
if((regs.cs == 0x33) && (regs.ss== 0x2b))
{
return 0;
}

return 1;
}

void update_rip(long temp)
{
struct user_regs_struct regs;
long status;
status = ptrace(PTRACE_GETREGS, PROCPID, NULL, ®s;;
if(status != 0)
{
perror(PROCPID, "ptrace");
}

regs.rip += temp;

// set registers
status = ptrace(PTRACE_SETREGS, PROCPID, 0, ®s;;
if(status != 0)
{
perror(PROCPID, "ptrace");
}

return;
}

char crazy_stuff()
{
long temp;
long y;

do {
// Released only when we do a sysenter
char c1 = get_rax_rcx(&temp);
if(c1 == '\0')
{
char c2 = check_ss(); // Must always be 0
if(c2 != '\0')
{
perror(PROCPID, "invalid data");
}
return 0;
}

if(temp == 0x3c)
{
return 1;
}

update_rip(2);
} while(true);

return '\0';
}

char peek_data()
{
long data = ptrace(PTRACE_PEEKDATA, PROCPID, 0x2170000,0);
return DAT_PEEKDATA & 0xffffffffffffff00 | (data == DAT_PEEKDATA);
}

void exec_in_reverse()
{
struct user_regs_struct regs;
int temp;
unsigned int temp2;
pid_t pid;

setregs(PROCPID);
int loopcounter = DAT_LOOPCOUNTER;
while(true)
{
loopcounter--;
if(loopcounter < 0)
{
return;
}

int data = ptrace(PTRACE_GETREGS, PROCPID, NULL, ®s;;
if(data != 0)
{
perror(pid, "ptrace");
}

regs.rip = DAT_RIPS[loopcounter];
long status = ptrace(PTRACE_SETREGS, PROCPID, NULL, ®s;;
if(status != 0)
{
perror(pid, "ptrace");
}

printf("RIP BACKWARD: 0x%X\n", regs.rip);
long retval = ptrace(PTRACE_SINGLESTEP, PROCPID, 0, 0);
if(retval != 0)
{
perror(pid, "ptrace");
}

temp = 0;
pid = wait(&temp);
if((temp & 0x7f) == 0)
{
break;
}

temp2 = (int)temp >> 8 & 0xff;
if(temp2 != 5)
{
perror(PROCPID, "child dead");
}
}

puts("exit too early...");
_exit(1);
}

int Debugger(char *program)
{
puts("Debugger");

// Start the process and debug it
PROCPID = fork();

// CHILD
if (PROCPID == 0)
{
ptrace(PTRACE_TRACEME, 0, 0, 0);
execve(program, 0, 0);
perror(PROCPID, "execve");
}

// PARENT
printf("Child PID: %i\n", PROCPID);
long s = ptrace(PTRACE_ATTACH, PROCPID, 0, 0);
if(s != 0)
{
perror(PROCPID, "ptrace");
}

int status = 0;
int pid = waitpid(PROCPID, &status, 2);
printf("Obtained PID: %d - status: 0x%X\n", pid, status);
if((pid != PROCPID) || (status & 0xff) != 0x7f)
{
perror(pid, "the first wait");
}

bool finished = false;
bool process_success = false;
long retval = 0;
int iteration = 0;

while(true)
{
do {
retval = ptrace(PTRACE_SINGLESTEP, PROCPID, 0, 0);
if(retval != 0)
{
perror(pid, "single step");
}
wait(&status);

// check child status
if((status & 0x7f) == 0) { goto endprocessing; }
if((status >> 8 & 0xffU) != 5)
{
perror(pid, "child dead unexpectedly.");
}

// check loop counter
if(0xfff < DAT_LOOPCOUNTER)
{
perror(pid, "too many steps.");
}

// wait until reaching our shellcode and only then start processing
if(!finished)
{
long rip = getregs(pid);
if(rip == 0xdead0080)
{
printf("INSIDE\n");
finished = true;
nop();

// go to the beginning of our shellcode (we're already here)
setregs(pid);

// read 0x1000 of memory which must succeed
zero_data(pid);

// set first 8-bytes of data with RANDOM
randomize(pid);
}
}
iteration++;
} while (!finished);

char x = crazy_stuff();
if(x != '\0')
{
break;
}

// Store current RIP addresses into array
long rip2 = getregs(pid);
printf("RIP FORWARD: 0x%X\n", rip2);
DAT_RIPS[DAT_LOOPCOUNTER] = rip2;
DAT_LOOPCOUNTER++;
}
process_success = true;

endprocessing:
if(!process_success)
{
perror(pid, "error");
}

// TO GET HERE: mov eax, 0x3c; syscall
printf("FINISH LOOP\n");

char data2 = check_memory_zero(pid);
if(data2 != '\x01')
{
perror(pid, "please swallow the cookie");
}
printf("FINISH SWALLOWING COOKIE\n");

exec_in_reverse();
printf("FINISH EXECUTING INSTRUCTIONS IN REVERSE\n");

char data3 = peek_data();
if(data3 != '\x01')
{
perror(pid, "you should vomit the cookie out");
}

printf("hitcon{FLAG}");

return 0;
}

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
if(argc != 2)
{
printf("Usage: %s <program>\n", argv[0]);
exit(1);
}
return Debugger(argv[1]);
}
```

We can then compile the code as follows:

```
g++ debugger.cc -Wall -Wextra -Wno-format -Wno-unused-variable -o debugger
```
Then we only need to come up with the shellcode to feed to the newly written debugger binary (replicated the ``time_machine``), but we have the code, so we can perform all kinds of things, like insert additional code for debugging purposes.

At the end of the day, we basically need to perform three things:

1. A random 8-byte value is generated by the debugger and then copied into the debuggee at 0x2170000 address.
2. The instructions are executed forwards one by one until reaching the [exit](https://filippo.io/linux-syscall-table/) syscall. All the instruction pointer addresses are stored into global array, but at most 0xfff instructions is allowed.

![Read Syscall](read_syscall.png)

3. At this point our shellcode has been run and the debugger checks if the entire memory contents 0x2170000 - 0x2171000 is zero, meaning the randomly generated value must not be there - our shellcode must have zeroed out this value. We need to store this value somewhere else, we'll see later on where.
4. The entire general purpose registers as well as floating point registers are zeroed-out, so we can't save the random value in there.
5. All the instructions from our shellcode are executed backwards.
6. A check is made if the original random value is at 0x2170000 address.

At this point we've been pretty close to the solution, all we needed to figure out is where to store the randomly generated value. We can't save them anywhere else in memory, because only the segment 0x2170000 - 0x2171000 is writeable and the debugger will check that the entire contents is zero.

![Memory Segments](memory_segments.png)

Also, we can't save them into any general purpose or floating point register, because those are all zeroed out by the debugger. So where can we actually save the random value that we need to preserve. The following registers are all zeroed out:

```c
struct user_fpregs_struct
{
__uint16_t cwd;
__uint16_t swd;
__uint16_t ftw;
__uint16_t fop;
__uint64_t rip;
__uint64_t rdp;
__uint32_t mxcsr;
__uint32_t mxcr_mask;
__uint32_t st_space[32]; /* 8*16 bytes for each FP-reg = 128 bytes */
__uint32_t xmm_space[64]; /* 16*16 bytes for each XMM-reg = 256 bytes */
__uint32_t padding[24];
};

struct user_regs_struct
{
unsigned long r15;
unsigned long r14;
unsigned long r13;
unsigned long r12;
unsigned long rbp;
unsigned long rbx;
unsigned long r11;
unsigned long r10;
unsigned long r9;
unsigned long r8;
unsigned long rax;
unsigned long rcx;
unsigned long rdx;
unsigned long rsi;
unsigned long rdi;
unsigned long orig_rax;
unsigned long rip;
unsigned long cs;
unsigned long eflags;
unsigned long rsp;
unsigned long ss;
unsigned long fs_base;
unsigned long gs_base;
unsigned long ds;
unsigned long es;
unsigned long fs;
unsigned long gs;
};
```

We can rely on the fact that there are 128-bit XMM0 - XMM15 floating point registers and their counterpart 256-bit YMM0 - YMM15 floating point registers. We can see that the higher 128-bits of the YMM0 - YMM15 registers are not cleared, so we can store the cookie in there. We can basically use the following shellcode:

```asm
[BITS 64]

global _start

_start:
; store cookie to MMX
mov rax, 0x2170000
movq xmm0, [rax]
; ymm0[127:0] -> ymm0[255:128]
vperm2f128 ymm0, ymm0, ymm0, 0

; set the cookie to 0
xor rbx, rbx

; swallow the cookie
mov rax, 0x2170000
mov [rax], rbx
mov rax, 0x2170000

; get the cookie
movq rbx, xmm0

; ymm0[255:128] -> ymm0[127:0]
vperm2f128 ymm0, ymm0, ymm0, 1

; break out of loop
mov rdi, 0x1
mov rax, 0x3c
sysenter
```

We can compile it with netwide assembler, but since we only want the actual shellcode we can use the ``-f bin`` option to get only the flat-form binary.

```
# nasm -f bin shell.asm && xxd -p shell
b800001702f30f7e00c4e37d06c0004831dbb800001702488918b8000017
0266480f7ec3c4e37d06c001bf01000000b83c0000000f34
```

Let's now create our own ELF binary file, the one that was outputted by ruby script and modify just the shellcode part. The part from 00001080 onwards is our shellcode above.

```
00000000 7F 45 4C 46 02 01 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .ELF............
00000010 02 00 3E 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 AD DE 00 00 00 00 ..>........Þ....
00000020 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 @...............
00000030 00 00 00 00 40 00 38 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 [email protected].........
00000040 01 00 00 00 05 00 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000050 00 00 AD DE 00 00 00 00 00 00 AD DE 00 00 00 00 ...Þ.......Þ....
00000060 8A 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 8A 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Š.......Š.......
00000070 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 06 00 00 00 ................
00000080 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 17 02 00 00 00 00 ................
00000090 00 00 17 02 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000000A0 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000000B0 51 E5 74 64 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Qåtd............
000000C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000000D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000000E0 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000000F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000100 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000110 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000120 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000130 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000140 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000150 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000160 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000170 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000180 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000190 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000001A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000001B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000001C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000001D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000001E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000001F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000200 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000210 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000220 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000230 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000240 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000250 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000260 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000270 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000280 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000290 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000002A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000002B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000002C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000002D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000002E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000002F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000300 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000310 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000320 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000330 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000340 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000350 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000360 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000370 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000380 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000390 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000003A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000003B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000003C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000003D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000003E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000003F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000400 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000410 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000420 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000430 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000440 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000450 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000460 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000470 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000480 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000490 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000004A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000004B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000004C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000004D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000004E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000004F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000500 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000510 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000520 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000530 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000540 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000550 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000560 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000570 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000580 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000590 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000005A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000005B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000005C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000005D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000005E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000005F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000600 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000610 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000620 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000630 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000640 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000650 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000660 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000670 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000680 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000690 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000006A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000006B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000006C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000006D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000006E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000006F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000700 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000710 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000720 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000730 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000740 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000750 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000760 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000770 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000780 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000790 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000007A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000007B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000007C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000007D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000007E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000007F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000800 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000810 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000820 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000830 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000840 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000850 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000860 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000870 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000880 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000890 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000008A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000008B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000008C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000008D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000008E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000008F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000900 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000910 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000920 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000930 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000940 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000950 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000960 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000970 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000980 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000990 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000009A0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000009B0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000009C0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000009D0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000009E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
000009F0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000A90 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000AA0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000AB0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000AC0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000AD0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000AE0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000AF0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000B90 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000BA0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000BB0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000BC0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000BD0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000BE0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000BF0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000C90 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000CA0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000CB0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000CC0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000CD0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000CE0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000CF0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000D90 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000DA0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000DB0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000DC0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000DD0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000DE0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000DF0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000E90 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000EA0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000EB0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000EC0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000ED0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000EE0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000EF0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F30 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F60 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F70 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000F90 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000FA0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000FB0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000FC0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000FD0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000FE0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00000FF0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
00001000 EB 5A 6A 26 5F 6A 01 5E 31 C0 B0 9D 0F 05 6A 16 ëZj&_j.^1À°...j.
00001010 5F 48 8D 15 14 00 00 00 52 6A 06 48 89 E2 6A 02 _H......Rj.H‰âj.
00001020 5E 31 C0 B0 9D 0F 05 48 83 C4 10 C3 20 00 00 00 ^1À°...HƒÄ.à ...
00001030 04 00 00 00 15 00 00 02 3E 00 00 C0 20 00 00 00 ........>..À ...
00001040 00 00 00 00 15 00 01 00 0B 00 00 00 06 00 00 00 ................
00001050 00 00 00 00 06 00 00 00 00 00 FF 7F E8 A1 FF FF ..........ÿ.è¡ÿÿ
00001060 FF 48 89 E7 48 81 E7 00 F0 FF FF 48 81 EF 00 10 ÿH‰çH.ç.ðÿÿH.ï..
00001070 02 00 48 C7 C6 00 40 02 00 48 31 C0 B0 0B 0F 05 ..HÇÆ[email protected]À°...
00001080 B8 00 00 17 02 F3 0F 7E 00 C4 E3 7D 06 C0 00 B8 ¸....ó.~.Äã}.À.¸
00001090 00 00 17 02 48 31 DB 48 89 18 B8 00 00 17 02 66 ....H1ÛH‰.¸....f
000010A0 48 0F 7E C3 C4 E3 7D 06 C0 01 BF 01 00 00 00 B8 H.~ÃÄã}.À.¿....¸
000010B0 3C 00 00 00 0F 34 <....4

```

Now we can test our implementation of the program with this file and we'll be able to see that we were able to display the flag.

```
Debugger
Child PID: 12808
Obtained PID: 12808 - status: 0x137F
INSIDE
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD0080
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD0085
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD0089
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD008F
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD0094
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD0097
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD009A
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD009F
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD00A4
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD00AA
RIP FORWARD: 0xDEAD00AF
FINISH LOOP
FINISH SWALLOWING COOKIE
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD00AF
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD00AA
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD00A4
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD009F
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD009A
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD0097
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD0094
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD008F
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD0089
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD0085
RIP BACKWARD: 0xDEAD0080
FINISH EXECUTING INSTRUCTIONS IN REVERSE
hitcon{FLAG}
```

Next we only need to obtain the actual flag from the provided server for which we can use a modified version of the [Gynvael Coldwind](https://gynvael.coldwind.pl/) [pwnbase.py](https://github.com/gynvael/stream-en/blob/master/065-tooooo/pwnbase.py) script. Our version is provided below:

```python
#!/usr/bin/python
import os
import sys
import socket

def recvuntil(sock, txt):
d = ""
while d.find(txt) == -1:
try:
dnow = sock.recv(1)
if len(dnow) == 0:
return ("DISCONNECTED", d)
except socket.timeout:
return ("TIMEOUT", d)
except socket.error as msg:
return ("ERROR", d)
d += dnow
return ("OK", d)

def recvall(sock, n):
d = ""
while len(d) != n:
try:
dnow = sock.recv(n - len(d))
if len(dnow) == 0:
return ("DISCONNECTED", d)
except socket.timeout:
return ("TIMEOUT", d)
except socket.error as msg:
return ("ERROR", d)
d += dnow
return ("OK", d)

# Proxy object for sockets.
class gsocket(object):
def __init__(self, *p):
self._sock = socket.socket(*p)

def __getattr__(self, name):
return getattr(self._sock, name)

def recvall(self, n):
err, ret = recvall(self._sock, n)
if err != OK:
return False
return ret

def recvuntil(self, txt):
err, ret = recvuntil(self._sock, txt)
if err != "OK":
return False
return ret

def go():
global HOST
global PORT

# open socket
s = gsocket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
s.connect((HOST, PORT))

recvuntil(s, "Size of shellcode? (MAX: 2000)\n")
print("Size of shellcode? (MAX: 2000)")

# open shellcode file
with open("shellcode", "rb") as f:
shellcode=bytes(f.read())

# compute shellcode size
num = str(len(shellcode))

# send the shellcode size
s.sendall(num + "\n")
recvuntil(s, "Reading " + num + " bytes..")

# send the shellcode
s.sendall(shellcode)
print(s.recvuntil("\n"))
print(s.recvuntil("\n"))
print(s.recvuntil("\n"))
print(s.recvuntil("\n"))

# close socket
s.close()

HOST = '52.192.42.215'
PORT = 9427

go()

```

If we run the task we'll be able to get the flag.

```
Size of shellcode? (MAX: 2000)

Shellcode receieved. Launching Time Machine..

Perfect.

hitcon{whats happened happened, this is the mechanism of the world}
```

That's it, the solution to the tenet task.

Another Solution
----------------

Another shellcode solutioh was provided by [enedil](https://gist.github.com/enedil/596154c276497d24169e57bd209355a8) on IRC channel (if somebody knows his real name or blog, let me know and I'll add the link to his blog). The solution he provided is based on the fact that we control only the RIP values that are saved and then later replayed in reverse. Therefore, we control the RIP values that will be executed.

```asm
[BITS 64]
%macro check_bit 1
mov rcx, 1
shl rcx, %1
test rcx, rsi
jz %%skip
or rsi, rcx
shl rcx, %1
mov rcx, 1
%%skip:
%endmacro

xor esi, esi
mov rdi, [0x2170000]
mov [0x2170000], rsi
mov rsi, rdi
mov rdi, rsi

%assign i 0
%rep 4
check_bit i
%assign i i+1
%endrep

mov rdi, 0
mov rax, 60
syscall
```

In this solution we basically test if certain bit in the value is set and if yes, we execute the **OR** instruction, which will set a certain bit in the value when going backwards, otherwise we jump over that part of the code and the bit will not be set. Since the cookie is a 64-bit value, we need to repeat the loop 64 times in order to set every bit of the value when going backwards.

Original writeup (https://github.com/cybernatedwizards/CybernatedWizardsCTF/tree/master/2020/Hitcon_CTF_2020/tenet).