Bandit Level 17 → 18

Goal

Compare passwords.old and passwords.new; the changed line is the next password.

Why this matters

Focused comparison is safer and faster than visually reviewing two nearly identical artifacts.

Progressive hints

1. Hint 1

   Use the files named in the official goal.

2. Hint 2

   A line-oriented diff marks removed and added content.

3. Hint 3

   The value from the new file is the destination credential.

Method

Run only the lines that match the evidence you observe.

diff passwords.old passwords.new

Expected non-secret observation

The output shows one old line and one replacement line.

Explanation

diff computes the edits needed to transform the first file into the second.

Troubleshooting

• Keep the argument order old then new so the markers are intuitive.
• Use diff --color=auto if supported for easier reading.

Safety and cleanup

• Use only the OverTheWire game host and your own local practice directory.
• Do not paste a level password into this site, screenshots, notes, or submissions. Baitaphish never asks for credentials.
• Treat commands as learning prompts: inspect paths and flags before running them.

Completion and next step

Use the recovered credential only in the official Level 18 login. Then mark this transition complete and continue.