# Single-byte XOR (CTF challenge)

> A message was XOR-encrypted with a single unknown byte and hex-encoded. Recover the flag. Hint: there are only 256 possible keys — brute-force them and look for the one that produces readable text…

Canonical: https://codelivly.com/ctf/challenges/crypto-single-byte-xor

| | |
|---|---|
| Category | Cryptography |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Points | 200 |
| Estimated time | 12 min |
| Type | Live instance |
| Solves | 78 |
| Author | Codelivly |

A message was XOR-encrypted with a single unknown byte and hex-encoded. Recover the flag. Hint: there are only 256 possible keys — brute-force them and look for the one that produces readable text starting with CLV{.

## Related

- [All CTF challenges](https://codelivly.com/practice?type=ctf)