Conference badges have evolved from paper and plastic to collectable mini-computers of all shapes and sizes, coveted and collected by security professionals and enthusiasts. The rise of #Badgelife signifies one of the most creative offshoots of security conferences, with its underground culture of hardware art and ingenuity.
In this episode of SON OF A BREACH!, Critical Start CTO Randy Watkins welcomes badge creator Florida Man, a/k/a Jonathan Singer, to celebrate the allure of #Badgelife, reveal how deep the culture runs, and share tips on how to get started in the community.
Tune in to learn:
• The colorful, flashy history of #Badgelife
• How unofficial conference badges have come to symbolize the security culture’s uniqueness and sense of community
• Steps to start collecting or creating digital badges that people want to take home and talk about
• What tools and techniques you need to design and produce your own #Badgelife creation
Both fun and functional, digital badges celebrate computers and the security around them at the hardware level. Many are intentionally hackable so you can take control of the lights, noises, and other built-in features.
Singer shares some favorites from his extensive badge collection, which you can see by watching the recorded video of this podcast episode.
Jonathan Singer is SIEM and SOAR Practice Lead at GuidePoint Security, with certifications including GPEN, GWAPT, GCIA, GCFE, and CEH. He is a self-taught badge creator, who launched his first digital badge at Bsides Orlando 2013. Singer also shares his passion for cybersecurity and hardware on his YouTube channel.