OverTheWire Bandit Level 14 → 15 tutorial!!

Login

Log in as bandit14 using the password you just obtained from Level 13 → 14.

ssh bandit14@bandit.labs.overthewire.org -p 2220
# password: MU4VWeTyJk8ROof1qqmcBPaLh7lDCPvS

Why? Each Bandit level is a different UNIX user. To solve 14 → 15 you must be logged in as bandit14.

Task

The password for the next level can be retrieved by sending the current password to port 30000 on localhost.

A little bit of Theory

• localhost is the same machine you’re on (loopback). You’re talking to a local service, not the internet.
• nc (netcat) opens simple TCP (or UDP) connections and lets you send/receive bytes via your terminal or pipes.
• Newline matters. Most simple services expect your input to end with \n. echo/printf add it for you.

Further reading:

• nc (netcat) manual
• Localhost (Wikipedia)
• IP address (Wikipedia)
• Port (computer networking)
• What is a port? (short explainer)
• How Web Servers Work: Ports
• How Web Servers Work: TCP/IP basics

Solution

Way A — Interactive

1. Connect to the service

   nc localhost 30000
   

   Why? Opens a TCP connection to the local service listening on 30000.

2. Paste the current level’s password and press Enter:

   MU4VWeTyJk8ROof1qqmcBPaLh7lDCPvS
   

   Why? The service validates your input and replies with the next password.

1. Copy the returned password (no extra spaces/newlines).

2. Log into the next level (bandit15)

   exit
   ssh bandit15@bandit.labs.overthewire.org -p 2220
   # paste the password you just found when prompted
   

Way B — One-liner (copy-paste friendly)

printf '%s\n' 'MU4VWeTyJk8ROof1qqmcBPaLh7lDCPvS' | nc localhost 30000

Why? Pipes the password with a newline into the TCP connection—fast and repeatable.

Password

This is the password I got in my run; if yours is different, copy the one shown in your terminal.

8xCjnmgoKbGLhHFAZlGE5Tmu4M2tKJQo

Troubleshooting

• Connection refused → You’re not on the Bandit box or the port is wrong. Ensure you’re SSH’d into bandit14 and using 30000.
• No response / times out → Make sure you sent a newline. Prefer printf '%s\n' '...' | nc localhost 30000.
• Garbled/SSL-looking output → This level uses plain TCP. (The SSL/TLS service shows up in the next level.)

Congrats 🎉 You used netcat to talk to a local TCP service and grabbed the Level 15 password. See you in Level 15 → 16!

Thanks for reading!

Until next time — Otsumachi!! 💖☄️✨