Code-Breaking Challenge #1: Bank Heist Stage 3 of 5 - What Do We Do? (Prize Pool Now >4 SBD)

Bank Heist: Stage 3 of 5 - What Do We Do?

^{The Codebreaking Challenge is Steemit's first puzzle-solving and code-breaking game designed by me (@wilfredn). It's a real-time game that will have you competing and collaborating with other players to solve a puzzle and progress to the next stage. Compete for a prize pool that grows in size as more players join in the fun.}

^{The final stage puzzle will be released on Saturday, 24 Feb 2018, 17:00 UTC.}

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How did they know my name?

That was one question that would have to wait for later. For now, Ted had to play by their game. He would have to bide his time and wait while the situation develops. At the very least, they didn't seem to mean him any harm for the moment.

Ted keyed in his real name and decrypted the message sent to him. He read the message and realised that this must be a secret group that he's dealing with. Slowly, he was gathering more clues about what is going on. And who were the others mentioned in the message? He would have to go to Oxford, UK to find out.

...

^{Source: Pixabay}

As the plane touched down in London Heathrow Airport, Ted reviewed the material that had been sent to him by his own secret group of friends stationed around the world. They were all top-level hackers who valued their privacy above all, so, naturally, Ted had never met any of them in person. But when the need arises, they knew they could count on each other. Of course, Ted had set his own plans in motion right after receiving that very first message, and, as he expected, everyone was interested in finding out who or what organisation had the resources to break through his defences. And a group of interested hackers is probably the worst enemy in the modern connected world.

"In London now," Ted messaged his friends over their secret channel. "Thanks for all the info! It's better than I expected."

One by one, the messages started pouring back in.
"Yo teddy. You in London already? Be sure to say hello to them for me." ~ ha41h1
"man. These guys are absolutely pros at what they do." ~ xx664411
"but they seem pretty all right. don't think they mean you harm" ~ ha41h1
"Still, you better be careful. Better safe than sorry." ~ m4rkyyy

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Society Cafe. Oxford, UK.

^{Source: Pixabay}

The bus slowed down to a stop at the Gloucester Green bus station in Oxford. As Ted stepped off the bus and headed towards the Society Cafe, he took in the familiar sights again. Years ago, he had studied Mathematics at Trinity College in Oxford. This was a city that changes slowly, with a proud attachment to things of old even as batches of students come and go each year.

This is it. He turned into St Michael's Street from the busy Cornmarket Street, filled with tourists from all over the world, and immediately noticed how quiet and empty it was. Approaching Society Cafe just a stone's throw away, he saw it was open but empty and dark. In the middle of the room, there was an unguarded computer with a recording waiting to be played.

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Find the Secret Key, which is [seed word from last stage] [solution to this stage's puzzle]. Solve the following encrypted message on AES Encryption Website:

0TMhYLqa06HkspRyErk+AWuPQIZa7OTGQQW1hZQ0NhXnHsz9H6z5VU8kc7mGxm/REbyxmz0Czt93AbieNwO4ueZqK1g7Y+5rvXkedHSfCSt1uKWWgrPdZlmn8P5hRKzp+tCTC284nhtFyuUphXTDYgX1hgiy+eDj7z9p0sBCBdIvNLhVZkcwInXDwItP8Cu+mBpYP3DZ0w5rosX43kA/xpkb9fW4H/QneirLFltbMFM=

Hint: Chase away the shadows! The solution has been there all along.

You'll need this: AES Encryption Website.

Good luck! Remember to follow the rules (upvote, resteem, follow!) and instructions.

You need to solve all the previous stages to get the seed word for this puzzle. If this is your first time playing, start at Stage 1 (use the codebreaker tag to find all the posts)!