Tuesday, February 7, 2012 Game Recap & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[bpmod]

Now to think of another way to obfuscate a QR code.

Brian

Do you want to change what it says, or make it unreadable? I know that the large squares in or near the corners help the code reader figure out which way it's oriented. Also, there's a row of alternating blacks and whites between the bottom-most lines of the two top squares, and a column of them between the right-most lines of the two left squares. I don't know what those do (the Wikipedia article says "timing," but I'm not sure what that refers to), but altering those might go a long way toward creating an unreadable QR code that still looks like one (and can be repaired with a little work by someone aware of the patterns).

I want to make it readable, but as gibberish, while keeping it readable another way to provide the correct output. I guess the whole reason for the various control codes within the QR code is so that it can be read only one way.

Brian

[econgator]

I don't know what those do (the Wikipedia article says "timing," but I'm not sure what that refers to)

Timing in relation to printed codes generally has to do with positioning/location, so that the reader correctly interprets what it thinks it's reading. For example: all the marks on the side of a Scantron are timing marks, as are the lines at the beginning and end of a UPC code.

[bpmod]

In any event, you'll get a better idea of what I'm getting at after Presidents' Day is over.

Brian

[trainman]

I want to make it readable, but as gibberish, while keeping it readable another way to provide the correct output.

You mean something like this?

[TenPoundHammer]

Hey look, it's Nyan Cat's cousin!

[bpmod]

I want to make it readable, but as gibberish, while keeping it readable another way to provide the correct output.

You mean something like this?

<image snipped>

Actually, no. I have lots of cutesy QR codes.

I was thinking more of this:


Brian

[Volante]

I want to make it readable, but as gibberish, while keeping it readable another way to provide the correct output. I guess the whole reason for the various control codes within the QR code is so that it can be read only one way.

Brian

Ahh, I think I know what you're getting at.

Basically, you want to have what visually looks like a QR code with its three tell-tale alignment blocks, but in the main data portion, use a different matrix algorithm, like Data Matrix ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Matrix ).

[bpmod]

I want to make it readable, but as gibberish, while keeping it readable another way to provide the correct output. I guess the whole reason for the various control codes within the QR code is so that it can be read only one way.

Brian

Ahh, I think I know what you're getting at.

Basically, you want to have what visually looks like a QR code with its three tell-tale alignment blocks, but in the main data portion, use a different matrix algorithm, like Data Matrix ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Matrix ).

Sort of. But even simpler.

In my example above, I have modified a valid QR code in one very simple way. Anybody can put it back with very little effort and no special (hardware/software) tools. It cannot be read by a reader (without knowing how it was altered), as it does not appear to be a valid QR code. (That is, to the reader... the naked eye sees it as a valid QR code.)

What I had been hoping is that, instead of the reader simply dismissing it as invalid, it would read, but output gibberish. My intent was to have anybody reading it come to the conclusion that the content was scrambled before the QR code was created from it. Or simply that the content is supposed to be gibberish.

Security through obfuscation.

Brian

[Volante]

I want to make it readable, but as gibberish, while keeping it readable another way to provide the correct output. I guess the whole reason for the various control codes within the QR code is so that it can be read only one way.

Brian

Ahh, I think I know what you're getting at.

Basically, you want to have what visually looks like a QR code with its three tell-tale alignment blocks, but in the main data portion, use a different matrix algorithm, like Data Matrix ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Matrix ).

Sort of. But even simpler.

In my example above, I have modified a valid QR code in one very simple way. Anybody can put it back with very little effort and no special (hardware/software) tools. It cannot be read by a reader (without knowing how it was altered), as it does not appear to be a valid QR code. (That is, to the reader... the naked eye sees it as a valid QR code.)

What I had been hoping is that, instead of the reader simply dismissing it as invalid, it would read, but output gibberish. My intent was to have anybody reading it come to the conclusion that the content was scrambled before the QR code was created from it. Or simply that the content is supposed to be gibberish.

Security through obfuscation.

Brian

Checksums are harsh mistresses.

The only way, I'd imagine, to have a QR code return gibberish is to make it valid gibberish.

[bpmod]

So, I leave it as a challenge to anybody to come up with what the secret code is.

I know there are so many here that like this kind of challenge.

Brian

[jeff6286]

If I look at that long enough, and tilt my head just right, I think I can see a spaceship. Is that right, is it a spaceship?

[Paucle]

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If I look at that long enough, and tilt my head just right, I think I can see a spaceship. Is that right, is it a spaceship?

I see the dragon from Tic Tac Dough

[Magna]

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If I look at that long enough, and tilt my head just right, I think I can see a spaceship. Is that right, is it a spaceship?

I see the dragon from Tic Tac Dough

A bulldog?

[TenPoundHammer]

I see 72, which just happens to be Numberwang.

(Seriously, I never could see those stupid magic eye pictures. Probably because I have a lazy eye and am so nearsighted that I can see my brain.)

[Volante]

If I look at that long enough, and tilt my head just right, I think I can see a spaceship. Is that right, is it a spaceship?

I see the dragon from Tic Tac Dough

A bulldog?

It's a schooner!

On a serious note, I wouldn't know where to begin. I would guess it'd have to start with decoding what's there by hand as all the basic features don't appear tampered with...but even there I'm at a loss.

[bpmod]

No. It's not something that you can see with your eyes. It has to be decoded like a QR code, because, well, it IS a QR code.

In light of the guesses so far, I'm afraid the answer is going to be very anti-climactic.

It just needs to be looked at in a certain way before the reader can read it.

Brian

[alamble]

[img]removed[/img]

If I look at that long enough, and tilt my head just right, I think I can see a spaceship. Is that right, is it a spaceship?

I see the dragon from Tic Tac Dough

I am a little ashamed to admit that my six-year-old self was scared s---less by that stupid dragon. No likey.

[bpmod]

I see the dragon from Tic Tac Dough

I am a little ashamed to admit that my six-year-old self was scared s---less by that stupid dragon. No likey.

I had completely forgotten about it until this mention. I was a bit older than six, though, so I don't think I had any trauma as a result of it back then.

Brian

[dhkendall]

Checksums are harsh mistresses.

That is the geekiest thing I have ever seen. My inner geek just orgasmed from reading that.

[TenPoundHammer]

I see the dragon from Tic Tac Dough

I am a little ashamed to admit that my six-year-old self was scared s---less by that stupid dragon. No likey.

I had completely forgotten about it until this mention. I was a bit older than six, though, so I don't think I had any trauma as a result of it back then.

Brian

I grew up with the 1990 revival of Tic Tac Dough, so I had a rapping dragon and dragonslayer, and Mr. YOU WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!! himself, Patrick Wayne.