Tixlegeek's Cool Kid's Badge pentesting toy

Don't panic, and hpphckng!

Hey! If you're here, you probably want to know more about LeHack 2023's illegal badge: The Cool Kid's Badge, designed and produced by Tixlegeek!

Here are some tips:

Wanna grab a Cool Kid's Badge?

Please send a message to coolkidsbadge@proton.me, and let me know:

  • Ways to communicate with you (email/twitter).
  • Where and when you can get it! (At LeHack 2023? Via mail? (fr/eu only))
  • Any useful information (how many? fully populated? Naked?)

Please note that no payments should be made to anyone at this time. I will begin selling the badges only when I have a full-featured prototype, likely priced around 50€ (fully populated). Shipping costs will be your responsibility.

About

The cool kid's badge is an unofficial LeHack 2023 electronic conference badge. Connect it to your Flipper Zero and unlock a world of hacking wonders. Not a Flipper owner? No problemo! Hook it up to an ESP8266/ESP32 chip and let your creativity soar.

The entire design is an original work by Tixlegeek, carefully crafted using open-source the softwares Inkscape and KiCad. (<3)

The design process took approximately a month and a half, with the aim of creating a visually appealing hardware piece while incorporating various functionalities:

Production status

Prototypes have already been produced! A second attempt was made to fix the artwork and layout of the badge. On 05/22/2023, a fully functional prototype was put into production.

Here are some pictures of the first prototype, with messed-up artwork:

June 20th: The Cool Kid's Badges won't be ready for Hack 2023 :-(

Greetings!

It's with a heavy heart that I'm writing this message to you. Despite all my efforts, we have reached a point where the badges simply won't be ready for Hack 2023, no matter what happens.

How did this happen?

The problem lies in the production and delivery time of the PCBs.

I had 3 prototypes made, and each of them has its flaws, more or less significant:

  • The visual quality is poor. The complexity of the artwork and the manufacturing process are responsible for that, and the third prototype is getting closer to the desired result. I still need to address some details.
  • I made errors during the production verification, resulting in prototypes that are not up to par and require complex manual corrections.

Each iteration takes about 10 days to produce and deliver. Today is June 20th, which makes it impossible to have a final prototype ready in time for Hack.

Where are the badges at?

Except for the PCB/Assembly, which is the weak point, the badge is functional. And that's actually what frustrates me the most in this story!

For those who follow me on Twitter/Discord, I've shown part of the progress. The code for the ESP32 is complete and tested, the code for the FlipperZero application is well underway but needs some adjustments. The components have arrived, and manual assembly of certain elements is ready.

Tested and Functional Features:

  • NFC Tag: The integrated NFC tags have been tested and programmed.
  • ESP32: The ESP32 has been programmed, the code is clean, and everything is functioning as expected. I will soon test and customize the Marauder firmware.
  • NRF24L01: It works. I've been able to perform some attacks using the tools available in the RogueMaster firmware and verify its proper functioning.
  • FlipperZero: Almost functional. The code is a bit more complex, and I want to ensure it's clean and well-organized.

The documentation is almost ready. I'm waiting for some final details to add the finishing touches.

Remaining Tasks:

  • Create a new prototype and verify its functionality and appearance.
  • Finish the FlipperZero application.
  • Add and test third-party features (Marauder, GPIO/COM Applications).

What's next?

I will continue to work hard to deliver a functional, well-finished, and usable product. I know that this announcement is a big disappointment for some of you, and I assure you that I've done everything I can to meet the Hack's deadlines. I have invested a tremendous amount of time, resources, and passion, even reaching out to my most skilled friends in various aspects of creating this badge.

Whether you choose to maintain your interest in this project or not, the badge will see the light of day. However, I will never provide something half-functional or compromised by production. I just need a little more time to create something satisfying!

Regardless of your decision, I want to thank all those who have shown interest in the Cool Kid's Badge! And to those who decide to wait a little longer and receive it later, well, thank you already. You are amazing individuals. I commit to keeping you informed of the progress, as I have been doing since the beginning, and working hard to deliver a beautiful, finished, functional, and ultra-stylish badge!

HppHckng!

June 11th: New production batch, and developpement

For approximately two weeks, I worked on upgrading the electronics of the badge, and it was sent for production on June 6th. While waiting for the production process to complete, I am currently focusing on developing the base firmware for the badge. The firmware now incorporates an httpServer, enabling users to configure settings and perform firmware upgrades directly via OTA

I dedicated considerable effort to designing a visually appealing UI that not only looks cool but also fits within the limited memory constraints of the badge alongside other functionalities!

UX demo:

Tested firmware upgrade:

Now, I am currently working on the WiFi aspect and will soon address the communication between the flipper and the badge as well.

Thank you all for the support. I hope this little project will bring satisfaction to each and every one of you!

Disclaimer

The Cool Kid's Badge is an unofficial badge and is not directly associated with LeHack. The Le Hack team bears no responsibility and cannot provide any assistance or address any issues related to the Cool Kid's Badge.

While tixlegeek has invested considerable care and passion into the creation of the Cool Kid's Badge, it should be regarded as a work of art and a tribute to the French hacking scene rather than a high-quality functioning product. This badge is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY, including the implied warranties of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Tixlegeek is the sole person involved in this project. Any advice or information provided by another individual regarding this badge should be treated as assumptions and may be false or inaccurate.

The only reliable contact links are:

Twitter: @tixlegeek

E-Mail: coolkidsbadge@proton.me

You want to aquire a Cool Kid's Badge?

Warning! This badge is not currently available for purchase. DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY TO ANYONE WHILE EXPECTING TO RECEIVE A BADGE AT THIS TIME. Please be patient as things will eventually change soon 😃.

About me