Web3 Security Stack – A Developer’s Guide

The problems for web 3.0 security have emerged as formidable challenges for the large-scale adoption of web3. In 2022, the losses due to web3 security attacks amounted to over $3.5 billion. On top of it, security exploits in web3 have also led to losses amounting to more than $667 million in the first six months of 2023. Would users trust a technological concept that lands up with billions of dollars in losses to security risks? Why would users adopt web3 solutions when they find out the potential risk factors in web3? 

The value advantages of web3 have caught the attention of big tech companies, and it could also lead to a major shift in the technological landscape. Therefore, it is important to learn about security in web3 with awareness of web3 security risks and tools for Web 3.0 security. The web3 application ecosystem includes multiple interoperable protocols, which are based on smart contracts. With the continuous growth of the web3 ecosystem, it is important to focus on adaptability of security solutions to the pace of innovation. Let us learn more about the technology stack required for web 3.0 security across different layers of web3. 

Does Security Present a Concern for the Web3 Ecosystem?

The burden of financial losses due to Web 3.0 security issues calls for immediate attention to security for web3. On top of it, the evolution of Web 3.0 security problems also presents another challenge for the safety of web3 users. Therefore, it is important to look for security solutions that could protect users against protocol logic errors, infrastructure attacks, and smart contract code vulnerabilities. Furthermore, web3 also needs solutions such as real-time threat detection and incident response that could alleviate the effect of attacks. 

Web3 needs security tools that can evolve with the continuously growing pace of innovation. As a matter of fact, the web3 security stack should include solutions for safeguarding different layers of the web3 development lifecycle. Web3 developers need a clear impression of the different layers of Web 3.0 security and the tools that can help in creating completely secure web3 apps. 

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What are the Different Layers in Web3 Security Stack?

Security in Web 3.0 would involve a varied collection of processes, policies, and technologies for safeguarding systems, networks, data, and devices. The answers to “What is web 3.0 security?” would draw references to the use of blockchain in web3. It is important to remember that data in web3 would be stored on the immutable ledger of blockchain. Therefore, it is impossible to reverse any attack and related losses in web3 solutions. 

On top of it, open-source smart contracts could present risks in the form of smart contract vulnerabilities and errors in business logic. The common layers for Web 3.0 security attacks include infrastructure, ecosystem, smart contract programming language, and protocol logic. Here is an outline of the different layers in the Web 3.0 security stack and the notable functionalities of security tools on each layer. 

Infrastructure Stack

The infrastructure stack is the first layer in the web3 developer lifecycle. It is important to have a web3 developer stack with clear identification of potential security threats and their severity. After choosing the blockchain protocol for building the web3 solution, developers should decide the mechanism for secure interaction between the application and the underlying blockchain. The important solutions for the Web 3.0 security stack in the infrastructure layer include the following.

• Access Management 

Access management is an important security process that helps developers regulate the access privileges for users and wallets. It helps in determining which wallet accounts or users would have permission to sign and execute transactions. A Web 3.0 security stack tutorial would help you understand how platforms use developer tools for authentication and verification of user identities. On top of it, the web 3.0 security stack also involves automation of permissions alongside controlling access privileges for smart contract capabilities and a wallet.

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• Monitoring Tools

Monitoring tools are another prominent addition to Web 3.0 security stack, and they focus on consistent analysis of web3 systems. The functionalities of monitoring tools revolve around measuring the uptime, health, and reliability of the web3 infrastructure services. You can address Web 3.0 security problems with tools that can help in analyzing the interactions of users with smart contracts and monitoring the performance of blockchain protocols. Monitoring tools could also help in identification of bad method calls to RPC node infrastructure. 

• Wallet and Private Key Management 

The risks of private key theft have led to a rise in demand for cryptographic wallet security solutions such as multi-party computation. MPC wallets could help eliminate the need for storing private keys in a centralized location. The wallets break the private key into different shards, encrypt them, and divide them among different parties. 

The parties could work on the computation of their private key shard for producing signatures to authenticate transactions without revealing their identity. MPC wallet infrastructure could help consumers and businesses interact with DeFi web3 solutions throughout different chains while maintaining the security of assets. 

• Consumer Security 

Consumer security serves as a major primitive in the best practices of web3 security and focuses on solutions that monitor user experiences in web3. The primary functions of tools for consumer security in web3 involve scanning, simulation, analysis, and protection of user experiences with web3 applications. For example, consumer security solutions can facilitate firewall capabilities for blockchain wallets that can help in detecting fraudulent transactions.

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Smart Contract and Protocol Logic Stack

The responses to ‘What is Web 3.0 security?” would be incomplete without mentioning smart contract vulnerabilities and protocol logic issues. Developers should evaluate the existing smart contract standards alongside evaluating security implications for protocol integrations. At the same time, developers must also develop comprehensive documentation of the code alongside setting up test environments. On top of it, developers must discover bugs in the code through internal and external code audits alongside creating apps that could incentivize users to improve security. Here are some of the notable primitives for the Web 3.0 security stack in the smart contract and protocol logic layer.

• Audit Service Providers

Audits are essential tools for external security assessments for the code of web3 projects. The primary objective of an audit focuses on the detection and description of security issues alongside the potential exploit scenarios and underlying vulnerabilities. You could also find recommended fixes for web3 security vulnerabilities from audit service providers.

Regular audits of protocol upgrades and smart contracts throughout different blockchain ecosystems are crucial requirements for safety in web3. The growing maturity of the testing frameworks and web 3.0 security tools could open new prospects for audit service providers to externalize their in-house tools. 

• Security Testing Tools

The most crucial asset in a web 3.0 security stack tutorial points to security testing tools. Security testing tools refer to frameworks and solutions that could help in effective blockchain security testing. Some of the examples of security testing tools in web3 include Slither and Mythril, which are static analysis frameworks. 

Similarly, you can find tools like OpenZeppelin for accessing reusable and proven smart contract templates for creating smart contract codes from scratch. Furthermore, automated bug-detection engines could also serve as promising choices for detecting potential vulnerabilities in the code of developers. 

• Bug Bounty Platforms 

Web 3.0 security best practices also involve the use of bug bounty platforms, which can create competition for finding vulnerabilities in smart contracts and web3 apps. You should understand that web 3.0 security problems due to smart contract vulnerabilities depend on the severity of the issue. Interestingly, bug bounty platforms could offer many advantages beyond hosting bug bounty programs. For example, bug bounty platforms could also offer consultation and project management services for web3 projects.

• Formal Verification 

The next important addition in the web 3.0 security stack at the smart contract and protocol logic layer points to formal verification. Formal verification includes the use of different technologies and processes that utilize algorithmic logic for checking smart contract traits. 

It helps ensure that smart contracts can serve the objective of achieving desired functionality in code. Formal verification is a crucial requirement in a web3 developer stack as it could ensure security of smart contracts before deploying them into production. Most important of all, web3 would need an effective solution for formal verification which could adapt to new use cases.

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Ecosystem 

The ecosystem layer in the Web 3.0 security stack focuses on the events after deploying a smart contract or web3 protocol into production. Developers would need systems that could monitor the smart contracts alongside important operational components for malicious activity. Upon identification of security issues, developers should utilize solutions from a Web 3.0 security stack for serving immediate responses. Let us find out more about the essential additions to the ecosystem layer of the Web 3.0 security stack. 

• Blockchain Forensics 

The foremost addition to a web3 security stack on the ecosystem layer points at blockchain forensics. It involves the technologies and processes for detection, investigation, addressing, and recovering the impact of security attacks on web3 applications. Web3 requires blockchain intelligence and risk management tools for effective monitoring, detection, and review of fraudulent transactions. 

• Protocol Risk Management 

You can also find protocol risk management tools for automation of risk management and optimization of capital efficiency. On top of it, users can ensure security in web3 by simulating protocol performance in different market conditions. Different companies offer unique platforms that could utilize simulation tools for optimization of key parameters of a protocol. As a result, web3 developers could not only minimize risk but also ensure viable improvements in capital efficiency. 

• Threat Intelligence

Another notable entry among the answers for “What is Web 3.0 security?” would refer to threat intelligence. It refers to the data that could help in understanding the behavior, objectives, and motives of web3 hackers. Threat intelligence tools could help in aggregation and monitoring of events and activities that happen on blockchain protocols and smart contracts. 

It could lead to effective detection of potential vulnerabilities and security threats in web3. Threat intelligence tools can also help in generating notifications on the basis of security incidents and suspected attack patterns. Therefore, web3 developers could find the best practices for preventing security attacks on web3 solutions.

Is Web3 Really Secure?

The future of web3 security depends on resolution of fundamental issues. You can find two core themes in web3: encryption and decentralization. The features are native traits of web3, and it also features multiple layers of protection. At the same time, the features of web3 also lead to the foundations for security mechanisms in web3. Why? 

A beginner’s guide to security in web3 would help you learn about the different vulnerabilities that lead to security issues in web3. You would find that security vulnerabilities in web3 can be attributed to users. Users are responsible for managing their own data and online experiences in web3. Therefore, they should take the responsibility for safeguarding their data and assets. 

The magnitude of losses due to Web 3.0 security problems could also prove the necessity of security for web3 solutions. For example, smart contract vulnerabilities could lead to loss of valuable assets and massive volumes of money in the form of cryptocurrencies. If you click on a phishing link wishing to earn free giveaways, you might put your assets at risk. Therefore, the developments in security for Web 3.0 would involve the contributions of users.

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Bottom Line

The different elements in the web3 security stack show that different tools could provide a strong security infrastructure for web3. On the other hand, you must also have a clear impression of the state of security of web3 solutions. You would need a clear impression of security threats in the domain of web3 to ensure implementation of ideal safeguards. However, it is important to choose a reliable web3 developer stack with the right security tools. 

For example, effective use of smart contract audit service providers and threat intelligence systems can strengthen Web 3.0 security. The selection of different tools could prove the effectiveness of Web 3.0 security stack at different stages. Learn more about the common security vulnerabilities in Web 3.0 and the important tools that could address Web 3.0 security requirements through the web3 development lifecycle. 

*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!