Roadmap to go from beginner Security researcher to Advanced in Web3

Phase 1: Fundamentals of Web3 and Security Basics

1. Blockchain Basics

• Understand the concepts of blockchain, consensus mechanisms, and cryptography.

• Learn how Ethereum works, as it’s the foundation for most smart contracts. Study how transactions are processed, blocks are created, and gas fees work.

2. Ethereum and Smart Contracts

• Study Solidity, the primary language for writing Ethereum smart contracts.

• Build basic smart contracts to get comfortable with contract deployment, functions, and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) concepts.

• Resources: Solidity documentation, CryptoZombies, Ethernaut challenges.

3. Introduction to Cybersecurity

• Learn key security concepts like authentication, authorization, encryption, and hashing.

• Study basic vulnerability types (e.g., buffer overflow, privilege escalation) to understand traditional security models.

Phase 2: Intermediate Web3 Security Concepts

4. Common Smart Contract Vulnerabilities

• Study vulnerabilities such as reentrancy, integer overflows/underflows, unchecked low-level calls, and uninitialized storage.

• Learn about security patterns like “checks-effects-interactions” and safe math.

5. Tools and Frameworks

• Familiarize yourself with Web3 security tools like Mythril, Slither, and Remix IDE’s built-in security plugins.

• Use Etherscan to explore smart contracts on the blockchain, analyze their functions, and understand contract interactions.

6. Introduction to Audits

• Read security audit reports from firms like OpenZeppelin, Trail of Bits, and ConsenSys Diligence to understand what auditors look for.

• Practice auditing simple smart contracts by looking for potential vulnerabilities yourself.

Phase 3: Advanced Web3 Security Techniques

7. Advanced Vulnerabilities and Exploits

• Dive into complex attack vectors like flash loan attacks, front-running, sandwich attacks, and oracle manipulation.

• Study DeFi-specific exploits, as these tend to be highly targeted in Web3.

8. Formal Verification and Symbolic Execution

• Learn about formal verification tools (e.g., Certora, K Framework) that can mathematically prove the correctness of smart contracts.

• Practice with symbolic execution to understand how various inputs could affect contract outcomes and identify hidden vulnerabilities.

9. Advanced Security Tools and Techniques

• Study advanced tools like Echidna (for fuzz testing), Foundry (testing suite), and Hardhat (Ethereum development environment).

• Familiarize yourself with Brownie and Tenderly for advanced debugging and testing.

Phase 4: Specialization and Expert-Level Knowledge

10. Audit Complex Contracts and DeFi Protocols

• Start analyzing large-scale, real-world DeFi protocols (like Uniswap, Compound) and see how they handle security.

• Understand how these protocols use decentralized governance and manage potential security risks.

11. Cross-Chain Security and Layer 2 Solutions

• Learn about cross-chain bridges, sidechains, and Layer 2 scaling solutions like Optimism, Arbitrum, and zk-rollups.

• Study how inter-chain vulnerabilities arise and the best practices for securing cross-chain interactions.

12. Contribute to Web3 Security Communities

• Join Web3 security communities (like Code4rena or Immunefi) to participate in bug bounties and contribute to open-source projects.

• Attend security conferences and follow security leaders to stay updated on the latest vulnerabilities and mitigation techniques.

13. Develop a Security Framework

• Begin developing your own security checklists and frameworks based on industry standards (like OpenZeppelin’s guidelines).

• Create custom testing scripts, fuzzers, and monitoring solutions to detect anomalies in real-time for smart contracts.

Resources and Certifications

• Courses: ConsenSys Academy, Blockchain Security Mastery by ChainSafe, OpenZeppelin’s Solidity 101.

• Certifications: CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional).

• Bug Bounties: Platforms like Immunefi and Code4rena for real-world experience and rewards.

Final Goal: Advanced Research and Contribution

At this stage, you’ll be capable of leading security research, auditing protocols, and perhaps even developing your own tools or frameworks. You’ll also be in a position to share your insights by writing blogs, publishing vulnerability analyses, or contributing to Web3 security standards.