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.