Originating around DEF CON 22, DCZia is a group organized around the concepts of teaching, learning, and creating badges / other electronic hardware. Most of us have loose ties to New Mexico, but now we live all over the US. DCZia welcomes both newcomers and experts alike. Proud holders of the DC DarkNet DEF CON 25 Black Badge!

History

2013

@toasty, @lithochasm, @jediguybob threw around the idea of forming an informal group exploring the concepts of sharing knowledge, learning new skills, and creating a badge.

2014

@toasty, @lithochasm, @jediguybob, and @bitrunnr competed in the DC network forensics challenge. @kexel introduces @gateherder to the group. Nameless group semi-organizes at the pestering of @hamster and @houdini. Various shenanigans ensue.
▪️ Badge: Laserdisc Badge (found laying on a table in the chill room. Worn around like a flava-flav clock by LithoChasm all con)

2015

Group organized under Tilted Kuipers, but due to lack of communication, @tiltedkuipers is also used as a dcdarknet username. @tiltedkuipers and @kexel come in 3rd and 11th in dcdarknet.
▪️ Badge: PiBadge Mk1 - Raspberry Pi // 3.5” Full Color LCD – The first badge (Designed by LithoChasm, group built and refined by DCZia)

2016

Group renamed DCZia. @tiltedkuipers and @kexel sink in dcdarknet standings, get angry and depressed, and decide to “go big or go home” next year.
▪️ Badge: PiBadge Mk2 - Raspberry Pi // 3.5” Full Color LCD // Custom Visuals from Beeple remixed by LithoChasm

2017

@tiltedkuipers changes to @gateherder; @gateherder and @kexel take 1st and 3rd place in dcdarknet in their final year as agents.
▪️ Badge: Mech Keyboard Badge - 4 Mechanical Keys // 16x2 Character LCD // NeoPixel RGB LEDs // Acts as shield for an Arduino101
▪️ Additional swag: 2017 - DCZia Fidget Spinners - Red LED lit and non lit custom cut acrylic spinners.
▪️ Laynard: DCZia Lanyards - Black and Yellow, our first shot at lanyard design
▪️ Stickers: DCZia diecut Zia's

2018

DCZia tackles their most ambitious badge design yet, and our first single pcb design. @gateherder and @kexel help with DCDarkNet this year. SAO's take over the world this year, and DCZia contributes numerous designs from @hamster, @jediguybob, @lithochasm, @gateherder and @kexel
▪️ Badge: 4x4 Mech keyboard badge. 16 backlit mechanical Gateron Blue keyswitches arranged in a grid. ESP32 microcontroller. OLED screen.
▪️ SAO's: Corgibutt, Pickle Rick, Shotbot, DCZia Zia, and around 50 others from @hamster ;)
▪️ Laynard: New Retro Lanyard - Yellow full color with lazer grid and mountians / sun in a sweet Outrun / New Retro style. Design by Lithochasm.
▪️ Stickers: DCZia 2018 "Outrun", DCZia "Wavy Lines", The Maze Isn't Meant for You
▪️ 2018 Web Site Archive

2019 - ZiaCon 0

DCZia hosted its first convetion in our hometown of Albuquerque!
▪️ Badge: Ziacon Skull Badge by Lithochasm // ATTiny with touchsense + LEDs
▪️ SAO's: @hamster gave a SAO design talk which morphed into one of his DC27 SAO's
▪️ Stickers: Ziacon 0 round and square designs by Luna, Ziacon Gadget Tin by WillyK

2019

New year, new badge. Sound was our idea this year, so we created a synth badge.
▪️ Badge: Laser Theramin Badge
▪️ SAO's: Corgibutt V2, Buzz SAO by @hamster and more!
▪️ Laynard: Brown Magnetic Tape design by Luna, to match our Cassette themed badge.
▪️ Stickers: DCZia "Yellow Circuit", Circuit Chile, Zia Magnet, and more?
▪️ 2019 Web Site Archive

2020

Life happened. We didn't have time to make a PCB badge this year but still wanted to do something for everyone, so we chose to do an open-source build at home desk badge!
▪️ Badge: PiBadge Mini

2021

Hybrid mode! ZiaCon was remote, but Defcon29 was a hybrid affair. Decided to do a one-shot badge design on night one of ZiaCon.
▪️ Badge: ZiaCon YOLO badge
▪️ DefCon29: YOLO puzzle

Puzzle Overview (spoilers ahead...)
For DefCon29, with the DCZia crew split both in-person and attending remotely we decided this would be a great chance to run a mini-contest to get one of the YOLO badges.
We announced it via Twitter which decoded to our puzzle page.
The remote team was able to support the social media communications between everyone who was participating. The in-person crew confirmed winners and handed out the YOLO prize!
▪️ Hint thread

2022

Back to semi normal function this year. Litho made a 2001 themed badge for Ziacon, and the group did a throwback to the days of Radio Shack and those 30-in-1 electronic project kits from years past.
▪️ ZiaCon Badge: Hal 9000 Badge
▪️ DefCon30 Badge: YOLO puzzle

2023

Eurorack format Drum Machiner / Sequencer / Midi controler badge. Full color dye sub PCB, lots of bells and whistles.
▪️ ZiaCon Badge: NM Topo 3D Printed Badge by Litho
▪️ DefCon31 Badge: Electric Sampler

Code of Conduct

DCZia is a cohesive group of individuals with diverse backgrounds, heritages and experiences whose mission is to educate members in information security and related technical subjects. We want a constructive and positive space for members to be productive, share ideas and learn. DCZia strongly believes in free speech. However, this requires that everyone participating be conscious of how their statements may be interpreted by others, especially those which may cause participants to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome.

▪️ We do not tolerate any harassment or insulting of our members of any kind. This includes, but is not limited to sexual, verbal, physical or psychological types of harassment.
▪️ We do not tolerate hate speech.
▪️ We respect the privacy of everyone.

This code of conduct applies to all members, including administrators and guests in our forum, gatherings or other mediums where we participate. As a member or participant of this group, please report any activity that may violate this code to a member of the group. If it is especially sensitive, we will share a secure manner of communication. Participants in violation of this Code of Conduct will be asked to stop behavior immediately and if need be, will be asked to leave the group. In addition, mis-representation of DCzia’s values or mission by anyone associated with the group may be asked to leave. Members of the DCZia Magna Carta Council reserve the right to eject anyone from any of our platforms, mediums, forums or events at any time.