You're given a bunch of unknown binary ".pizza" files and a README.md showing how these file are used to encapsulate media. The objective of the challenge is to write a demuxer, convert the videos in a playable format and find all flag pieces present in each file.
The intended solution for this challenge is to integrate a decoder for the PIZF format in libavformat, which is part of ffmpeg.
This way we'll be able to decode the format by using a simple ffmpeg format, but we'll have to write a few lines of C.
After cloning the ffmpeg repo, we can start by creating a pizfdec.h file in the libavformat folder, which will contain our decoder.
Reference pizfdec.h
#include "libavutil/pixdesc.h"
#include "libavutil/intreadwrite.h"
#include "avformat.h"
#include "internal.h"
// Constants (could also go in a separate file)
#define PIZF_MAGIC MKTAG('P', 'I', 'Z', 'F')
#define PIZF_TXT MKTAG('_', 'T', 'X', 'T')
#define PIZF_AUD MKTAG('_', 'A', 'U', 'D')
#define PIZF_VID MKTAG('_', 'V', 'I', 'D')
#define PIZF_END MKTAG('_', 'E', 'N', 'D')
#define PIZF_DATA_AUD MKTAG('d', 'A', 'U', 'D')
#define PIZF_DATA_VID MKTAG('d', 'V', 'I', 'D')
#define PIZF_DATA_END MKTAG('d', 'E', 'N', 'D')
const AVCodecTag ff_codec_pizf_video_tags[] = {
{ AV_CODEC_ID_MJPEG, MKTAG('v', 'J', 'P', 'G') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_H265, MKTAG('v', 'H', '6', '5') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_H264, MKTAG('v', 'H', '6', '4') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_MPEG4, MKTAG('v', 'M', 'P', '4') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_WMV2, MKTAG('v', 'W', 'M', 'V') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_VP9, MKTAG('v', 'V', 'P', '9') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_AV1, MKTAG('v', 'A', 'V', '1') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_NONE, 0 },
};
const AVCodecTag ff_codec_pizf_audio_tags[] = {
{ AV_CODEC_ID_AAC, MKTAG('a', 'A', 'A', 'C') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_MP3, MKTAG('a', 'M', 'P', '3') },
{ AV_CODEC_ID_VORBIS, MKTAG('a', 'V', 'B', 'S')},
{ AV_CODEC_ID_FLAC, MKTAG('a', 'F', 'L', 'C')},
{ AV_CODEC_ID_OPUS, MKTAG('a', 'O', 'P', 'S')},
{ AV_CODEC_ID_NONE, 0 },
};
// Determine if a file is a PIZF file
static int pizf_probe(const AVProbeData* p) {
if (AV_RL32(&p->buf[0]) == PIZF_MAGIC)
return AVPROBE_SCORE_MAX;
return 0;
}
// Read PIZF file header
static int pizf_read_header(AVFormatContext *c) {
AVIOContext *pb = c->pb;
uint8_t stream_count;
uint16_t version;
uint32_t duration;
AVStream* streams[255];
avio_skip(pb, 4); // Skip magic
version = avio_rb16(pb); // Read version
// Check version
if (version != 31) {
av_log(c, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Unknown version\n");
return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
}
stream_count = avio_r8(pb);
duration = avio_rb32(pb); // Read duration
// Loop until end of file
while (!avio_feof(pb)) {
uint32_t tag_type, tag_size;
uint64_t start;
tag_type = avio_rl32(pb); // Read tag type (LE)
tag_size = avio_rb32(pb); // Read tag size
start = avio_tell(pb); // Save position
switch (tag_type) {
case PIZF_AUD: {
uint8_t stream_id;
uint64_t extradata_size;
stream_id = avio_r8(pb);
// Initialize stream
streams[stream_id] = avformat_new_stream(c, 0);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->codec_type = AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO;
// Read values
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->sample_rate = avio_rb16(pb);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->bits_per_coded_sample = avio_r8(pb);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->ch_layout.nb_channels = avio_r8(pb);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->codec_tag = avio_rl32(pb);
streams[stream_id]->duration = duration;
// Find codec id
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->codec_id =
ff_codec_get_id(ff_codec_pizf_audio_tags,
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->codec_tag);
// Find extradata size
extradata_size = tag_size - (avio_tell(pb) - start);
if (extradata_size > 0) {
// Initialize extradata
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->extradata =
av_malloc(extradata_size + AV_INPUT_BUFFER_PADDING_SIZE);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->extradata_size = extradata_size;
// Read extradata
avio_read(pb, streams[stream_id]->codecpar->extradata, extradata_size);
}
// PTS is always 32 bit, 1/1000
avpriv_set_pts_info(streams[stream_id], 32, 1, 1000);
break;
}
case PIZF_VID: {
uint8_t stream_id;
uint64_t extradata_size;
char format_name[16] = {0};
stream_id = avio_r8(pb);
// Init stream
streams[stream_id] = avformat_new_stream(c, 0);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->codec_type = AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO;
// Populate values
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->width = avio_rb32(pb);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->height = avio_rb32(pb);
avio_read(pb, format_name, 16);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->codec_tag = avio_rl32(pb);
streams[stream_id]->duration = duration;
// Find and set pixel format
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->format = av_get_pix_fmt(format_name);
// Find codec id
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->codec_id =
ff_codec_get_id(ff_codec_pizf_video_tags,
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->codec_tag);
// Find extradata size
extradata_size = tag_size - (avio_tell(pb) - start);
if (extradata_size > 0) {
// Initialize extradata
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->extradata =
av_malloc(extradata_size + AV_INPUT_BUFFER_PADDING_SIZE);
streams[stream_id]->codecpar->extradata_size = extradata_size;
// Copy extradata
avio_read(pb, streams[stream_id]->codecpar->extradata, extradata_size);
}
// PTS is always 32 bit, 1/1000
avpriv_set_pts_info(streams[stream_id], 32, 1, 1000);
break;
}
case PIZF_TXT: {
uint32_t key_size, value_size;
char *key, *value;
// Find sizes
key_size = avio_rb32(pb);
value_size = tag_size - key_size - 4;
// Allocate space
key = av_malloc(key_size + 1);
value = av_malloc(value_size + 1);
// Read values
avio_read(pb, key, key_size);
avio_read(pb, value, value_size);
// Add terminator
key[key_size] = 0;
value[value_size] = 0;
// Write to metadata dict
av_dict_set(&c->metadata,
key,
value,
AV_DICT_DONT_STRDUP_KEY | AV_DICT_DONT_STRDUP_VAL);
break;
}
case PIZF_END:
return 0;
default:
av_log(c, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Unknown header tag\n");
return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
}
}
return AVERROR_EOF;
}
// Read PIZF packet
static int pizf_read_packet(AVFormatContext *c, AVPacket *pkt) {
AVIOContext *pb = c->pb;
int ret;
uint32_t tag_type, pos;
pos = avio_tell(pb); // Save packet position
tag_type = avio_rl32(pb); // Get tag type
switch (tag_type) {
case PIZF_DATA_AUD:
case PIZF_DATA_VID: {
uint8_t stream_id;
uint32_t pts, size;
// Save values
stream_id = avio_r8(pb);
pts = avio_rb32(pb);
size = avio_rb32(pb);
// Initialize packet
ret = av_get_packet(pb, pkt, size);
// Write packet values
pkt->stream_index = stream_id;
pkt->pts = pts;
pkt->pos = pos; // Required
break;
}
case PIZF_DATA_END: {
ret = AVERROR_EOF;
pb->eof_reached = 1; // Force stream end
break;
}
default: {
av_log(c, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Unknown data tag\n");
ret = AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
}
}
return ret;
}
// Define demuxer properties
const AVInputFormat ff_pizf_demuxer = {
.name = "pizf",
.long_name = NULL_IF_CONFIG_SMALL("Pizza File"),
.extensions = "pizf,pizza",
.read_probe = pizf_probe,
.read_header = pizf_read_header,
.read_packet = pizf_read_packet,
};Now we have to register the codec:
In libavformat > allformats.c, we have to add
extern const AVInputFormat ff_pizf_demuxer;
While in libavformat > Makefile
OBJS-$(CONFIG_PIZF_DEMUXER) += pizfdec.o
Before building, we have to run the configure script. We'll also enable some libraries in order to decode all codecs
./configure --enable-libdav1d --enable-libx264We have to install libdav1d-dev and libx264-dev if we don't have it already, as they're required to decode the av1 codec and re-encode everything in h264.
Make sure the pizf demuxer is enabled and, finally, build and install your ffmpeg version with
make -j10
sudo make installNow, we can convert the files back to a playable format by issuing
ffmpeg -i Pizza/Welcome.pizza Welcome.mp4
There are a total of 7 flag pieces in this challenge. Most of them are directy shown in the video but some are more hidden (*).
| Video | Flag piece | Vcodec | Acodec | # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome | flag{cu570m_...} |
h264 | mp3 | (1/7) |
| History | flag{...f0rm4t5_...} |
mjpeg | libopus | (2/7) |
| Margherita | flag{...4r3_n1c3_...} |
hevc | flac | (3/7) |
| Flag* | flag{...4nd_4ll_bu7_...} |
mpeg4 | aac | (4/7) |
| Traditions | flag{...7h3_53cr37_...} |
wmv | libvorbis | (5/7) |
| Technology* | flag{...1ngr3d13n7_15...} |
vp9 | aac | (6/7) |
| Variety | flag{..._l0v3!_76369} |
av1 | libopus | (7/7) |
Piece #4 is encoded as hex and written as a comment in the file metadata. Piece #6 is spelled out during the audio playback of the file.
After successfully finding all the pieces you can rebuild the complete flag
flag{cu570m_f0rm4t5_4r3_n1c3_4nd_4ll_bu7_7h3_53cr37_1ngr3d13n7_15_l0v3!_76369}
What if I hate C and want to write a demuxer in python?
Writing a demuxer to separate the streams is very easy, the real challenge lies in how to properly decode/remux them.
Since there are many different codecs, I expect someone using this solution to manually handle all the different quirks each of them has.
I still think it's possible, just harder. Especially since it seems wmv has no way of knowing the end of packets (and it's just weird and microsofty)
Python FFmpeg library bindings seem promising, but are a pain to use (and also seem unable to get you all the way)