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• Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. HevnsntKC (talk) 22:43, 11 February 2026 (UTC)

SecKC (Security Kansas City) is a monthly computer security meetup and community based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Founded in 2011, it is recognized as one of the world's largest monthly hacker meetups, bringing together information security professionals, hackers, makers, and technology enthusiasts for networking, education, and collaboration.^[1] As of 2026, SecKC has held over 130 meetings across 22 different venues in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

The organization's motto is: "Destroy No Data, Maintain No Persistence, Above All Else Do No Harm."

Prior to SecKC's founding, Kansas City's technology and hacker community was served by the Cowtown Computer Congress (CCCKC), formed in 2008. CCCKC was a grassroots hackerspace organization that created a shared space for local technology enthusiasts to meet, collaborate on group projects, share tools, and support the Greater Kansas City community. It brought together tinkerers, hackers, explorers, artists, inventors, and technology enthusiasts, laying groundwork for the later formation of more specialized groups like SecKC.

The concept for SecKC originated with Alex Lauerman, who envisioned creating a dedicated monthly meetup specifically for Kansas City's information security community. The name "SecKC" was coined by Bill Swearingen, who borrowed the naming concept from ax0n, a member of the broader security community.^[2] Together with Cory Kennedy, the three became known as the "Founding Three" and established SecKC as part of the CitySec movement.

The first SecKC meeting took place on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at Coaches Bar & Grill in Kansas City.^[3] The first person to arrive at this inaugural meeting was James Costello (n0b0d4). The first official talk was delivered by Cory Kennedy on the topic of Cuckoo Sandbox, while the first 5-minute tool demonstration featured Driftnet.

In addition to the three co-founders, SecKC recognized 23 founding members who were instrumental in establishing the community, bringing the total founding group to 26 individuals:^[4]

Julie Fugett, John Duggins, Adam (tw1zl3r), Wayne Crowder (deceased), Adam Ossenford, John Mallery, Eric Hilden, Donny Hubener, James Costello (n0b0d4), Chris Morris, archwisp, Daniel Conner, Trent Lo, Andrew Barrett, jur1st, Jeremy Finke, Larry, Tom Heffron, Jeff Doering, Judy Riniker, Shawn Summers, Nate Kettlewell, and Philip Mein.

Over its history, SecKC has met at 22 different venues across the Kansas City area:^[5]

• Kanza Hall (53 meetings) – The legendary home base and most frequent venue
• Barleys (21 meetings) – Second most visited location
• Tall Trellis (19 meetings)
• Gerts Grille (12 meetings) – Included the famous "Fishbowl" room
• Knuckleheads (6 meetings) – Current home as of 2026
• Zoom (7 meetings) – Virtual meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Longview Lake (4 meetings) – Annual SecKC picnics
• Las Vegas (3 meetings) – Annual DEF CON parties branded as "SecKC THE WORLD"

Additional venues included Guitars & Cadillacs, recordbar, Coaches (original location, 2 meetings), Old Chicago, Updown, Discord, Cinetopia Theater (featuring an iconic neon green door), The Martin, Maloneys, BarK, firefly, and 9th & State.

The first sponsored prize ever given at SecKC was an iPod, donated by Gerts Grille and Rapid 7 in May 2012.

SecKC is led by its three co-founders:^[6]

• Bill Swearingen – Created the "SecKC" name; known for his DEF CON talk "Hack the Police"
• Alex Lauerman – Originated the idea for SecKC
• Cory Kennedy – Delivered the first official SecKC presentation on Cuckoo Sandbox; holds the record for most times banned from SecKC

SecKC maintains an active team structure with various roles including organizers, speakers, and technical contributors. The organization recognizes exceptional community members with Black Badge status, a prestigious honor in the hacker community.^[7][8]

SecKC adheres to the CitySec philosophy:^[9]

• No professional society membership required
• No dues or cover charges
• Vendor neutrality (no corporate sponsorship or sales pitches)
• Minimal structure and no fixed agenda
• Open to all information security professionals and enthusiasts
• Public meetings with no RSVP requirements

The organization's core values are embodied in its motto: "Destroy No Data, Maintain No Persistence, Above All Else Do No Harm."

The first zero-day vulnerability disclosed at a SecKC meeting was a CCTV DVR authentication bypass, presented by Jake Reynolds in November 2013.

Co-founder Bill Swearingen delivered a presentation titled "Hack the Police" at DEF CON that became one of the most-viewed DEF CON talks in the conference's history, bringing significant attention to SecKC and its community.

SecKC members promoted the TRiKC event by hanging a banner on a highway overpass that read: "COME SEE HACKERS HACK - NOV 12th - WWW.SECKC.ORG", demonstrating the group's unconventional approach to community outreach.

• SecKC Anniversary: Celebrated annually in September, marking the first meeting in September 2011
• Vegas Parties: SecKC hosts annual parties at DEF CON in Las Vegas under the banner "SecKC THE WORLD"
• Longview Lake Picnics: Annual outdoor gatherings for community bonding

SecKC has created and collected various physical artifacts over its history:

• i-hacked.com light-up badges (from DEF CON 17 VIP)
• SecKC significant contributor coins
• TriKC commemorative coins
• DEF CON XXV badges with OLED screens
• SecKC 5¢ wooden coins
• "SecKC THE WORLD" LED sign
• Las Vegas hotel room traffic light
• Multiple generations of SecKC t-shirts and merchandise

• secDSM: The Des Moines, Iowa sister organization once defeated SecKC at their own game, creating a friendly but memorable rivalry
• BSides Conferences: Co-founder Bill Swearingen is known for his humorous disdain for Security BSides conferences, though the reasons remain an inside joke within the community
• KC2600: SecKC maintains a distinct identity from KC2600 (the Kansas City chapter of 2600: The Hacker Quarterly), with SecKC focusing specifically on information security professionals while KC2600 serves a broader hacker and tinkerer community^[10]

SecKC meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month, coinciding with Microsoft's Patch Tuesday.^[11] Typical meetings include:

• Technical presentations on information security topics
• 5-minute tool demonstrations (inaugurated with a Driftnet demonstration)
• Open Jobs Speed Round for recruitment and networking
• Social networking in an informal bar environment
• Challenges and competitions (often with prizes)

SecKC maintains year-round engagement through:

• Official website: https://www.seckc.org
• Discord server for ongoing discussions^[12]
• YouTube channel (SecKCVids) featuring presentations
• Social media presence (Facebook, X/Twitter)
• GitHub repositories for community projects
• KS3CKC Amateur radio Club^[13]

SecKC operates on a community-funded model. The organization also maintains transparent funding through Open Collective.^[14]

Payment methods historically included cash or check delivered directly to the founders, maintaining the informal, grassroots nature of the organization.

SecKC is recognized as:

• Kansas City's longest-running monthly security meetup^[15]
• "The world's largest monthly hacker meetup"^[16]
• A model CitySec organization
• A significant contributor to Kansas City's reputation as a Midwest cybersecurity hub

The organization has been featured at major security conferences including DEF CON and has connections to SecureWorld and other regional cybersecurity events.^[17]

Over 15 years of operation, SecKC has:

• Hosted 130+ meetings across 22 venues
• Built a community of hundreds of security professionals
• Launched careers and fostered professional relationships
• Created a model for community-driven cybersecurity education
• Produced influential presentations shared at national conferences
• Maintained a commitment to accessibility and vendor neutrality
• Established Kansas City as a recognized cybersecurity community

The organization continues to meet monthly as of 2026, maintaining its founding principles while adapting to new venues, technologies, and community needs.

• DEF CON
• 2600: The Hacker Quarterly
• Information security
• Hacker culture
• Kansas City metropolitan area
• Hackerspace
• Security BSides

• Official website
• SecKC on GitHub
• SecKC on Open Collective
• SecKC YouTube Channel
• KS3CKC Amateur Radio Club

Category:Computer security organizations Category:Hacker culture Category:Organizations based in Kansas City, Missouri Category:Organizations established in 2011 Category:2011 establishments in Missouri