OverTheWire Bandit Level 29 → 30 tutorial!!

Login

Log in as bandit29 using the password you obtained from Level 28 → 29.

ssh bandit29@bandit.labs.overthewire.org -p 2220
# password: 4pT1t5DENaYuqnqvadYs1oE4QLCdjmJ7

Why? Each Bandit level is a separate UNIX user. To solve 29 → 30, you must be the bandit29 user.

Task

There is a git repository at ssh://bandit29-git@localhost:2220/home/bandit29-git/repo The password for bandit29-git is the same as for bandit29. Clone the repo and find the password for bandit30.

A little bit of Theory

• Git projects can use branches. Production code typically lives on master, while work-in-progress lives on branches like dev.
• Use git branch -a to list local and remote branches.
• Switch with git checkout <branch> (or git switch <branch>).
• Secrets are often left in non-master branches (e.g., dev).

Further reading:

• git branch manual
• git checkout manual
• git switch manual

Solution

1. Clone the repository into a writable temp dir

   WORKDIR=$(mktemp -d)
   cd "$WORKDIR"
   git clone ssh://bandit29-git@localhost:2220/home/bandit29-git/repo "repo-$RANDOM"
   cd repo-*
   

   Why? /tmp is writable. When prompted for bandit29-git@localhost’s password, use your bandit29 password.

   

2. List what’s in the repo (on master)

   ls -la
   cat README.md
   

   Why? A quick peek shows the hint: the master README usually says something like “no passwords in production!”, nudging us toward another branch.

   

3. Check what branches exist

   git branch -a
   

   Why? We expect additional remote branches (e.g., origin/dev, maybe origin/sploits-dev) that may contain the secret.

   

4. Switch to the dev branch

   git checkout dev     # or: git switch dev
   

   Why? The README on master said “no passwords in production,” hinting the dev branch holds it.

   

5. Read the README on dev

   cat README.md
   

   Why? The credentials for the next level are stored right in the development branch’s README.

   

Password

This is the password I got for bandit30 (from the dev branch README):

qp30ex3VLz5MDG1n91YowTv4Q8l7CDZL

Troubleshooting

• “Permission denied (publickey)” → Make sure you used ssh://bandit29-git@localhost:2220/... and typed the bandit29 password at the prompt.
• No dev branch? → Run git fetch --all then git branch -a again.
• Detached HEAD or mistakes → git switch - jumps back to the previous branch; git status shows where you are.

Congrats 🎉 You explored git branches and dug the secret out of the dev branch. On to bandit30!

Thanks for reading!

Until next time — Otsumachi!! 💖☄️✨