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Scary? Group Almost Done Piecing Together 5 Puzzles Composed of Shredded Paper

Dec. 1, 2011 2:51pm Liz Klimas

At the end of October, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency issued a $50,000 challenge for anyone who could solve its five shredded paper challenges. The Daily Mail reports that one group — “All Your Shreds Are Belong To Us” – are just one shred of the last puzzle away from completing the task, but the clock is ticking as the challenge ends Dec. 4.

The challenge was presented to “ identify and assess potential capabilities that could be used by our warfighters operating in war zones, but might also create vulnerabilities to sensitive information that is protected through our own shredding practices throughout the U.S. national security community.”

The Daily Mail reports that “All Your Shreds Are Belong To Us” is using an “unknown” method to help them solve the puzzles and is rumored to be working on a forum called 4Chan:

The group claims that “crowd sourcing is basically cheating” — hinting that they have created a computer-based method of reassembling shredded documents.

The Daily Mail goes on to state that those leading the challenge so far have done so manually and used crowd sourcing, but notes that certain algorithms could be used to help find likely matches. The alumni of UCSD, for example, are banding together to try and get crowd sourcing to help them solve the puzzles, even offering rewards for people who help fit pieces together.

Although DARPA’s goal was to identify if there was a computerized way to put complicated shreds back together, if “All Your Shreds Are Belong To Us” has in fact developed a computer program to do so, it could mean the sensitive documents that average households shred could be at risk.

This story has been updated since its original posting.

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Comments (37)

Dabldo
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 9:51pm
Aaaaahh? I thought they had this done years ago? Probably harder to scan the shreds than reassemble anyway. Oh. Forgot that exponential time it takes as the problem gets bigger. Still, parrallel processing, and networked bored pc’s and shouldnt take long at all. Takes ‘em longer if you take a few pieces and flush ‘em. Far easier to hack into pc’s and most sites now anyway.

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autigers2010champs
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 10:47am
I say feed them to the terrorists.

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idarusskie
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 10:12am
they shred and burn stuff at my work.

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- drphil69
  Posted on December 2, 2011 at 10:48am
  Hmm… let me guess… you work at the Govt. offices in Ft. Meade….but there is No Such Agency!!
  
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beninferno
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 10:04am
What ever happen to good old fashioned buring. Still the best way to dispose of anything since 10,000 B.C.

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Jas0n
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 7:50am
There are different classes of shredders. The best render the paper into dust and the info cannot possibly be recovered.

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Jasgent
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 5:50am
Gamers–That name is so awesome and is a running joke in the PC gaming community–Awesome!!!

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Superbird
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 3:34am
I used to photoshop everything. In the late 90′, I was bored one night and shredded a picture. Scanned it in piece by piece and reassemble the image. Spending a few weeks afterwords fixing the image it looked ok. But it was far from perfect. I did this with various pictures up until 2003. I added it as a service to what I do on the side. No fish took the bate to ‘shredded restoration’. This is the first I heard about this Darpa maybe I’ll look into it….. It takes a good eye for layout, and learning how each piece curls and paper cut or tare. No piece is perfectly flat. You will see ow the next piece fits even if it folded or bent or corrupted within reason…. Superbird —

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The10thAmendment
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:18pm
Hey, I’ve got a shredder that feeds immediately into a compost machine. Maybe they should see if they can assemble my emails and regular mail from that.

Needed a paper on one of my office days and I forgot it. The Boss didn’t take it with much humor when I said the shredder ate it. Just no funny bone in some folks!

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- PheonixDragon
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:28pm
  I would give $50,000.00 to see if there is any one, or group, who can put together five sheets of shredded paper, after it has gone through my shredding system. But before any one takes me up on this challenge, my shredder puts out pieces of paper, as squares, not, strips. My shredder does crosscut shredding, so that what comes out is more like confetti, than strips. Believe me, it is next to impossible to piece back together a single sheet of paper which has gone through my shredder.
  
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- KICKILLEGALSOUT
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:48pm
  Ever heard of an incinerator?
  
  Besides nowadays foreign countries like China already have their spies on the inside and outside. On the outside they can hack their way in on the inside it is a matter of plugging in a USB drive.
  
  Report this comment
- watchmany2k
  Posted on December 2, 2011 at 1:13am
  Shread, put in bowl, add water, mix, then shape into balls of pulp
  let dry, nice firestarters.
  (to hold together better, a bit of corn starch or flour added for “glue”)
  
  For this and more alternative fuels;
  http://www.watchman2012.com/articles/spout18.shtml
  
  We are one year old !
  THANK-YOU BLAZE READERS !
  
  Report this comment
- basskids
  Posted on December 3, 2011 at 11:27am
  Where can I get a system like that? Been wondering about composting my shreds . . .
  
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JEANNIEMAC
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:08pm
The computer programs that were used to put together the pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls could be of use here.

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EqualJustice
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:27pm
How do they get their hands on OTHER’S SHRED’S??

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bikerr
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:58pm
@beckisnutsisnuts—When did you get out?

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JCoolman
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:57pm
Are ya scared yet?

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ZengaPA65
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:53pm
No it’s not scary. Stupid article.
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gmoneytx
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:55pm
Shred the docs, then burn them, see if you can put the puzzle together now!

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- Chuck Stein
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:03pm
  or if burning is not an option: shred, add water & pulp the docs
  
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- RossPoldark
  Posted on December 2, 2011 at 12:04am
  We use to be able to burn, but unfortunately, that was stopped a few years back due to the idiot environmentalists.
  
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- orionreplay6607
  Posted on December 2, 2011 at 6:08am
  One method for us was to shred our docs, place shreds in coffee can, burn, then add water. Make it into a gray, gloppy mass. Easy. You can do this quickly and efficiently.
  
  Report this comment
K Chad Roberts
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:41pm
To put some context behind the “all your base are belong to us” phrase. It has since been taken as an icon to video-gaming culture. Most late-teen and 20-30 something gamers will recognize it. I first saw it in the game Starcraft. It was used by the game developers as a cheat that would instantly hand you the win for a game. Thus it could be appropriately interpreted as an “instant-win” type of program when refering to this “All Your Shreds Are Belong To Us” group.

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- AmericanPatriot01
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:12pm
  Actually it originated in a process of hack translation of a game that then got translated back to english back in the early 2K’s. Around the time that “leet” speek was starting to hit the scenes in the gaming and hacking communities. It was popularized by the gamers that were making fun of the bash hacks in japan and china. I havent seen it around in quite some time.
  
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ilikai
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:36pm
known fact that the military first shreds, then burns the shredded paper, then stirs the ashes to break them up too. Been doing this for over 20 years that I know of. Too easy to piece back shreds.

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Tri-ox
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:18pm
“All Your Shreds Are Belong To Us”? Huh? I’m puzzled by the name of this group.

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- eshaw380
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:28pm
  80′s video game Zero Wing had a line in the opening where a guy said “all your base are belong to us” it was a very bad translation from Japanese to English.
  
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NC
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:56pm
Cardboard works just as well to prevent weeds, and it’s already brown.

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beckisnutsisnuts
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:53pm
I need you to tell me that?

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Red Max
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:40pm
Nice game. I still prefer my confetti shredder.

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BannedByHuffpo
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:37pm
Ashes are much more difficult to reassemble.

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Countrygirl1362
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:30pm
Shreaded paper works great in the plant beds. Put a thick layer down and cover it with layer of pine straw and wet good. It will break down over time and help prevent weeds.

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- TexasHunter
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:44pm
  Thanks CountryGirl- I will put your theory to the test.
  
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- 4truth2all
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:55pm
  You are also releasing the chemicals of the ink into the soil…
  
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AxelPhantom
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:01pm
We shread and then use it for firestarter in the fireplace.

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- WhiteFang
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:32pm
  What a great idea! Why did I not think of that? It’s so obvious.
  Place it in a plastic trash bag for storage till needed.
  
  Thanks Axel.
  
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- 4truth2all
  Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:56pm
  Do the same… lights quick.
  
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