Just like all software, smart contracts on the blockchain are subject to serious security vulnerabilities and coding errors. The fact however that smart contracts are often directly in charge of assets and cannot be changed once they are on the blockchain, makes secure development and running essential. Some smart contract platforms have their own languages, for example Solidity in Ethereum. Bugs and vulnerabilities in the source code, and errors in the virtual machines used by the network, are the main reasons behind security issues in smart contracts.

Projects using blockchain applications should expect constant changes in the security landscape. New bugs, security risks, and best practices will continue to emerge over time. Trail of Bits is a software security firm who advise in a range of industries for some top companies, including in the blockchain space. They are experts at identifying top-level risks and implementation vulnerabilities, and providing essential recommendations on best practices. Dan Guido, the CEO and Co-founder, explains all things software security in a really detailed and technical, yet easy to digest way. We also recommend you check out their exceptional blog packed with invaluable resources.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Dan’s background and how he came to create Trail of Bits
• What led Dan into the blockchain field
• How security software has changed over the last 20 years
• The unique challenges for security on blockchain and smart contract protocols
• Smart contract languages and security
• Slither - Trail of Bits’s suite of Ethereum based security tools
• Dan’s opinion on Solidity’s future and Vyper as an alternative
• Formally Verified Languages
• A use case on how Trail of Bits works
• Working with upgradeable contracts
• Composability and security
• Are compilers trustworthy?
• Other security issues in the blockchain space as DeFi grows
• The future of software security and the role of AI

Episode links:

• Trail of Bits Website
• Anatomy of an Unsafe Smart Contract Programming Language
• Slither, Github
• Slither: The Leading Static Analyzer for Smart Contracts
• 246 Findings From our Smart Contract Audits: An Executive Summary
• Rapid Risk Assessment (RRA)
• Our Full Report on the Voatz Mobile Voting Platform
• A Guide to Post-Quantum Cryptography
• BSides Lisbon 2016 - Keynote - The Smart Fuzzer Revolution by Dan Guido
• The Smart Fuzzer Revolution
• Trail of Bits Twitter
• Dan Guido Twitter

This episode is hosted by Sebastien Couture & Friederike Ernst. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/346