How to Fake a Badge like a Pro: 11 Tips to Counterfeiting Event Credentials

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Presented at DEF CON 33 by

Russell Phillips

Anticounterfeiting is an obscure and private world. Companies tightly hold their secrets and rely heavily on security through obscurity. But banknotes and government IDs aren’t the only targets of counterfeiting. Live events are increasingly targeted as ticket prices increase. The fast moving and dynamic nature of live events makes both counterfeiting and anticounterfeiting a more complex challenge. The limited time before the event ends is a key defense for event producers. But with a basic mix of social engineering, arts and crafts, and keen observation most of these credentials can be defeated using DIY techniques. Even advanced measures like UV ink or holograms can be defeated or avoided with techniques you might have learned in art class. But while copying a credential seems easy enough, there are numerous mistakes that would-be counterfeiters make. This talk will reveal 11 beginner mistakes to credential copying and how to avoid them. With physical examples of real historical credentials from NASA, NATO, the US Navy, the NFL, and more, this talk will leave you ready to fake a badge like a pro. References: