This puzzle featured a large quantity of information from several locations on the net. It’d be impossible to fully replicate the experience of sifting through all those locations, so I’m simply going to copy a representative sampling, along with those items that are necessary to solve the puzzle.
I’ll separate each “stage” on this page to help, maybe, make it easier for you to try and focus on each part individually, without jumping ahead to the endgame.
First off, there’s the DBIR itself.
We’ll start with the cover image:
Once you figure out what to do with that, you’ll find a list of over 14,000 password hashes. I’ll just copy a dozen of them at random, including the one you need to proceed:
adaline@yourunrealestate.org,326898B9D33D7EB6FA3975B08BC884C1
amped@shearchmail.us,2B2830590BA99A62AAD3B435B51404EE
easy@wildwoodway.us,2D8C041FFA91DF73AAD3B435B51404EE
emusshorn@obligationrelief.net,2DEC0E2359E75259AAD3B435B51404EE
helga@catsdogsetc.net,29420448F4289C3AAAD3B435B51404EE
imahintz@gmail.com,98B451441C75C9F0F3BD49EDF32EB4A4
jamie.loar@newroomair.us,2E83221CDADE904F417EAF50CFAC29C3
kellee.barca@donehouse.com,2EFA20E3AB44EC3048D7645CD4E30C86
leeazzeerl@superhandprint.net,28DA9078E6B48B294A3B108F3FA6CB6D
mean@classicauctionsonline.net,29D5C31BFF3D8D25AAD3B435B51404EE
nifty@biggerloaf.info,2AAF806E3F11B14317306D272A9441BB
redbooboo@donemoon.com,2848822810E16C51AAD3B435B51404EE
ykasperski@yourkosherwine.net,300C4F4BD6D7F3ADAAD3B435B51404EE
That will eventually lead you to a social networking site with lots of pictures. Some examples:
Next up, the “gift” image linked from the “Challenge” ASCII art picture:
8vvpojkjq3c8a7d0ryi5fghqc9wvi7zba0puzyk**az3tkq5jdof2ssdcca01r0epgxu2sgvb2uz
jx5l7xxm0a11i5nsyhjkor8xe9ae06k27sumhqi**8qhrb1x7kixt53p5etuktrj35b9brrbnvtc
c24njbtr2jz1zjkc785ns1of43i7abcbkylsunp**soekn22c8r5asmbxd6opnfp5xk113hrca3m
kbubf9t1clswoqqucq7lke9inokuz3l46eu1tgq**q4gk1en3t1qmp2gzmc679x03t9y5x709cq5
obmzdh35v0rkq6oyk67d4jsgo08rco5yoji90mv**fbs1ye1rzjkm75l02zyb7vi1mxt1rkr3ba2
d6gkr2mc5lrsipbeboggz2415q7b01o1khy0zn8**rhxlq33k40lsm0nttyr88oiqtz8r1qtnexr
4t688b1cm8q2d2id7jufvuzy6g48bbyej9grqdy**d8yb5wl8kqc9nbb6ldhzn0suj3br59u74ft
lf8c3ea675n31b6qwnmej5hwv48teo86056tw35**i7o7l64uoa2evkyk1yuprjfyjirhny5ubpv
bnhcwn5hwmp0kxcgbw5b2w4l6oaojpz182j7ywt**ampoqhfxsy9x71wxjvgdq1cy09z15z2lii0
rcobyczafy5ltupcavoipmcjxh6h9mj6ok6xdsj**v4atn4ips2xc2rzauv4e9i0hyo7ay4k18cx
ij2hid3mdfhd74qkbz06nk066w6scml2efuhgsp**mlh7h8i36u5he05aajk2p4939jf7x1gejmv
qmsicuyxcen6ieav2acr5bs947c1y759sbbq3ws**r7hig36yv5v93qqpx9pr6j9g3esiatg3hue
****************************************************************************
ltvm632gqf31bhykk0wokp6jmkn5idji62r6id1**f4ncrulceizzc23p95rs1sdby5hyrnkcvku
2ehd4wrr629xsvpmivr3rc0b37907e4emlbrnbe**i0iyuhrmull00poau4hip6tefqx4v93q2js
r5mgcndutkxlk24ytxuxtgbzlhplmemdm7cj2gj**vwahybu5safhha9thsnxmk0jf71jc3zityg
cqk22nw1otk2fvxvzk1lglybb3xldpmphqrep2a**qpdjbomyres6n4tun2lyjmzdvpxjjty36gk
2gg42qtiykehb46dqgvi37gyv41ddtd110oh3m3**ub559tyxcqbvns5c0ts2lsitkhwrhim9pt5
pi47v37gh2vl34x0257mdmbb9pijcxgxkvxfiwc**2qxrmwe4ypfatf095gvqv6j5snavdnpcjj6
jowfuky2xlagtg27lhg951j70esmd2coj649k56**aiikyzzitx1ryjpuxxhkdi2j0xswamim469
3z4ojtkh7dkoguwy5c4z47y1fdbayle2cjs9lv9**vj0h0oovwe3uoli3uypekb7aa9irfmhjuqr
u3j7m5giarcyd7b92rdv1ec0ov47bvqgm6228dp**jzz8jurl617zch0yz2ld0ft3r9k97g0lk2d
du8vdfu2wlop1qb2h9fwg5xdeod77aythvpvvyy**vqfeu679095is2ps6kfgehoerrv60ytanv0
wvnojkezih25kr1sn30cv4sifxjaxpgkmfohwdw**zjvtmpp4vs45fuds061rdcg4n6q3kpnhf8k
6bdq98gv0p372n4butt5gn7s63ek8jct5zkx49d**yj1ycg0knp0uvmpke6yio32sx89m2qnjeo6
v0uygrre88nz
And the Base-64 text hidden on the cover: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And finally, part of the cupcake recipe.
Encryption Cupcake Recipe
I hope this recipe gets you a step closer to
what you are looking for, whether it is cupcake
nirvana, or a prize.
Adapted heavily from: achowlife dot com
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
pinch of openssl
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) -nosalt butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
3 tablespoons dark cane sugar
2 bananas
