Password Hashes
Every submission should contain only new cracks as
hash:plaintext, one per line. Do not include usernames or extra
fields unless the final 2026 rules say otherwise.
Hashcat potfile output, Hashcat --output-format=1,2, and John
the Ripper potfile format usually work. $HEX[]-encoded
plaintexts are acceptable when needed.
Encrypted Files
If encrypted files are part of the contest and you crack a file password, do not submit the file-open password as a normal hash crack. Look inside the file for contest-specific instructions.
Submit Often, But Not Too Often
Submit new cracks frequently. Teams are encouraged to automate submissions or create a shared submission workflow.
Do not flood the autoresponder. We may throttle teams sending faster than once per minute, especially if submissions include repeats or invalid data.
Submission Feedback
The autoresponder normally replies with a summary of successful cracks and errors. Use that feedback to verify that your mail was processed.
KoreLogic staff will try to contact teams whose submissions repeatedly fail, but staff response is not guaranteed during the contest. If we think you are failing on purpose (spamming us) we may just block you and go back to bed.
Example Submission
$ cat new_cracks
ba8c54811d7a56a8b81600b18afcd6e5:how
8134809e3d8960760133fd0e043c5fb7:now
156cb1abce808384cfa960fe47c2cafc:brown
ae80a54e4a592cd3befb82d02edd7fac:cow
$ gpg -a -o submission-email.pgp.asc -r sub-2026@contest.korelogic.com \
-se new_cracks
$ mail -s "cracked" sub-2026@contest.korelogic.com < \
submission-email.pgp.asc
If you have more than one private key, add
--local-user 0xDEADC0D3 so the message is signed with your
registered contest key.