# read data data = [] with open('hidden-message.pcap', 'rb') as f: data = f.read() # get bits bits = '' for i in xrange(75, len(data), 81): bits += '0' if data[i:i+1]=='I' else '1' # convert to chars flag = '' for i in xrange(0, len(bits), 8): flag += chr(int(bits[i:i+8], 2)) print flag