A blockchain protocol audit is necessary to identify and mitigate potential security vulnerabilities in the core architecture of a blockchain network. This proactive approach helps prevent costly exploits, maintain the integrity of the blockchain, and ensure full compliance with industry standards.

It’s an investment in the long-term health and stability of your blockchain project.

A blockchain protocol audit focuses on the underlying infrastructure and consensus mechanisms of a blockchain, while a smart contract audit examines the code of individual smart contracts deployed on the blockchain.

Let’s put it this way: the protocol audit is like checking the foundations of a building, while the smart contract audit is like inspecting the individual apartments within that building. Both are important, but they address different aspects of security.

A blockchain protocol audit can identify a wide range of issues, including:

• Vulnerabilities in consensus mechanisms (e.g., potential for 51% attacks).
• Flaws in cryptographic algorithms.
• Weaknesses in network security protocols.
• Inefficient or insecure data storage practices.
• Compliance violations.

Requesting an audit from Hashlock is easy. Simply visit our “Request an Audit” page and fill out the form. One of our experts will be in touch to discuss your specific needs and provide you with a customised proposal.

This all depends on the complexity of the protocol and the scope of the assessment. A typical audit can take anywhere from a week or so, to a few months. We’ll provide you with a clear timeline upfront, and we’ll keep you informed throughout the entire process.

After the audit, we’ll provide you with a detailed report outlining our findings, including a prioritised list of vulnerabilities, the potential impact of each vulnerability, and clear, actionable recommendations for remediation.

We’ll also schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss the results and answer any questions you may have.

Our reporting is designed to be clear, comprehensive, and actionable. You’ll receive a detailed report that includes:

• Executive Summary: A high-level overview of our findings, suitable for sharing with stakeholders and non-technical team members.
• Detailed Findings: A complete list of all identified vulnerabilities, categorised by severity and impact.
  Technical Explanations: In-depth explanations of each vulnerability, including the potential attack vectors and how they could be exploited.
• Proof-of-Concept (PoC) Exploits (where applicable): Demonstrations of how vulnerabilities can be exploited, providing concrete evidence of their impact.
• Remediation Recommendations: Clear, actionable recommendations for fixing each vulnerability, including code snippets and best practices.
• Severity Scoring: A standardised scoring system (e.g., CVSS) to help you prioritise remediation efforts.
• Supporting Documentation: Links to relevant resources, industry standards, and best practices.

We understand that your codebase is highly sensitive information, and we take confidentiality extremely seriously. We implement a number of measures to protect your code during the audit process, including:

• Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs): All of our auditors are bound by strict NDAs, preventing them from disclosing any confidential information.
• Secure Communication Channels: We use encrypted email and secure file sharing platforms to communicate with you and exchange sensitive information.
• Limited Access Control: Access to your codebase is restricted to only those auditors who need it to perform the audit.
• Secure Storage: Your codebase is stored on secure servers with restricted access and robust security measures.
• Data Encryption: We encrypt your codebase both in transit and at rest.
  Background Checks: All of our auditors undergo thorough background checks.