Lifecycle
Badge ecosystems keep moving after handout: apps, hexpansions, SAOs, antennas, cases, repair parts, firmware updates, and post-event hardware experiments.
HackRVA discussed low-frequency serial transmissions from the speaker to nearby badge LED sensors.
SourceThe writeup describes BLE write handling that switches LEDs and shows text messages across badge display pages.
SourceThe firmware includes Badge Connect code for discovering nearby badges, storing badge MAC and type data, and showing cross-event badge findings for BSides, DragonJAR, EkoParty, and BugCON lineages.
SourceThe LCA2021 software session documented the Aiko framework on top of MicroPython as a badge customization and service layer.
SourceThe repository documents menu-driven badge apps, button handling, IR callbacks, LCD drawing, assets, and app templates.
SourceCommunity firmware work modified the official source to broadcast as multiple badge types and complete other badges through spoofed interactions.
SourceThe official 2023 speaker export says Peter Rankin developed BSides Canberra badge firmware including the 2019 Nopia 1337.
SourceThe firmware README documents a custom MicroPython 1.26.0 image with compiled badge-challenge modules and a Russ Hughes GC9A01 C display driver.
SourceThe badge exposes USB CDC commands for URI, TEXT, VCARD, HELP, ABOUT, STATUS, CHALLENGE, LEDS, and SOLVE, with serial operation documented at 115200 baud.
SourceThe badge is played by turning off battery power, connecting micro-USB, opening a terminal or Arduino IDE serial monitor at 9600 baud with Both NL & CR, and sending three stars to enter CTF mode.
SourceThe firmware tree preserves an AudioWAV sketch with USB mass-storage and PWM audio behavior plus an EdgeImpulse note linking audio-classification tutorial material.
SourceThe Badge firmware tree preserves menu, terminal, Wi-Fi server, generated web assets, AirTag, UART, hardware-pin, and NeoPixel control source files.
SourceThe firmware tree preserves separate Community and VIP directories, with Community firmware build guidance and VIP development framed around CircuitPython and Thonny.
SourceThe repository README links the BruCON0xA release as the firmware version installed on the conference badge, preserving the shipped build rather than only source head.
SourceThe repository documents separate PlatformIO build/upload environments for conference and CTF firmware on top of Espressif IDF.
SourceThe repository documents PlatformIO/ESP-IDF environments for conference, CTF, and addon firmware plus USB serial monitoring and DTR reset behavior.
SourceThe repository README documents entering DFU mode and flashing provisioned human badge binaries; Hackaday.io discussion records bootloader and NAND flash loading paths.
SourceThe README and releases document Rockchip/Luckfox upgrade_tool flashing for Bugcon-Badge-2025 image tarballs and the v1.0/v1.1 release path.
SourceJawnCon says the badge used RetroWiFiModem to simulate Hayes-style AT commands and control the LEDs.
SourceThe bootloader exposed HACKRF and HKRF-OLD modes, with different USB product IDs for newer and older HackRF software compatibility.
SourceRabbit-Labs links RocketGod's full-functionality firmware for LCD, LED, and CC1101 access plus a zRCrackiiN/JBOHack alternate firmware described as limited LED-only Blinken Lights functionality.
SourceThe main firmware builds unique device names from Portland-style street and direction arrays so Banglets present local-flavored BLE identities.
SourceThe firmware repository describes firmware intended to emulate a car on one PCB, with C and Python areas, verification files, RP2040 flashing workflow, and socketcan/cansniffer output.
SourceCryptax's write-up records USB enumeration as a MicroPython board, a Raspberry Pi Pico W / RP2040 MicroPython banner, and a MicroPython REPL used to inspect files.
SourceThe reflashing guide documents Python dependencies, ESP BOOT / ESP EN flashing mode, SAMD reset programming mode, USB-port behavior, and restoration of the original firmware bundle.
SourceThe WebUSB flasher gives owners an official browser-based recovery and update path, with caveats around USB serial access and supported browsers.
SourceThe GitHub release trail now includes v1.0 during DEF CON Singapore and v1.1 afterward, with v1.1 documenting new graphics and a USB streaming reliability fix.
SourceThe technical archive links the badge source-code tarball and labels the code as public domain.
SourceThe v1.0.0 release publishes VillaHacker.hex for badge reprogramming, while the README says badges come with pre-installed firmware.
SourceGitHub Releases publishes the v2026.2 UF2 binary plus a v2026.2-ctf prerelease binary for the 2026 badge.
SourceJean Privat's 2025 writeup documents USB-C/esptool firmware dumping, ESP32-C3 detection, partition extraction, factory-app identification, firmware strings for badge-network and persistence components, and attempts to patch the original firmware.
SourceThe official blog points to a public GitHub repository preserving the Arduino IDE sketch and display-support files for the 2017 badge.
SourceThe official badge page links an Arduino sketch with TimerOne LED scanning, two interrupt-driven buttons, menu modes, POV output, and a not-binary game path.
SourceThe public repository preserves the badge firmware, ESP32 binary, assets, Arduino build settings, TFT_eSPI configuration, SDL local-debug path, games, demos, OTA code, WiFi scanner, and Bluetooth material.
SourceDarkglade's writeups and source-release post identify the badge firmware as NodeMCU/Lua on ESP8266 and preserve a public code archive after the event.
SourceThe public repository preserves badge firmware and a fork of Arduino-IRRemote with the RuxBadge protocol, described as a modified Panasonic protocol with an extended address field and timing tweaks.
SourceBadge.Team's ESP32 platform firmware repository anchors SHA2017 in the reusable firmware lineage later Badge.Team records build on.
SourceRIOT OS documents the HiP badge as an ESP32-C3 board with a dedicated `hip-badge` flashing target.
SourceThe project page says attendees could ask Great Scott Gadgets for help reflashing the badge firmware.
SourceThe public repository README documents hardware-version selection through V2.2 for the 2025 attendee badge in STM32CubeIDE.
SourceParticipants learned IC programming and used the Arduino IDE, then shared code and developed new badge features with others at the conference.
SourceBase firmware updates used tilda-tools over USB/DFU rather than the Badge Store; the update page says they fixed stability, performance, and phone-call problems but wiped apps and settings.
SourceOfficial docs preserve multiple update paths: webflash, USB mass-storage flashing, and a built-in WiFi updater introduced in firmware v1.3.0.
SourceThe Proteus README says PlatformIO builds a binary that could be placed into the firmware folder of a TECT installation for OTA installation.
SourceMatthew Wilkes's MD Updater updates firmware on the Megadrive interface hexpansion, evidence that Tildagon add-ons can have their own firmware-maintenance lifecycle.
SourceThe repository preserves a simple sample firmware and an advanced configurable hotkey firmware guide for post-event customization.
SourceHackaday's January 2025 preview says the Europe badge would use revamped firmware compared with the Supercon setup.
SourceThe repository startup path tells attendees to connect the badge over USB and open the serial port at 115200 baud to see badge text.
Source