How To Read Smart Contract Audit Reports: A Comprehensive Guide

Xamer Web3 Security
2 min readAug 2, 2023

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Smart contract audits are vital in ensuring the security and functionality of blockchain projects. However, understanding these technical audit reports can be challenging. In this article, we will demystify smart contract audit reports and explore their role in safeguarding blockchain security.

Gauging Auditor Reputation

Consider the auditor’s reputation and experience. Well-known auditors with a track record of auditing high-value projects instill confidence in the audit report’s credibility.

Reading the Executive Summary

The executive summary provides an overview of the audit, including the auditing approach and timeframe. It offers insights into the auditors’ confidence and highlights crucial points to consider.

Understanding the Assessment Overview

The assessment overview outlines the scope of the audit, detailing audited and un-audited files. Understanding the scope helps evaluate potential risks.

Exploring the System Overview

The system overview provides a holistic understanding of the codebase, including the structure and interactions between smart contracts. It highlights the auditors’ assumptions during the evaluation.

Doing the Freshness Check

Verify that the audited code matches the deployed code on the blockchain. Ensure the audited code’s integrity and that it hasn’t changed since the audit.

Reading the Audit Findings

Vulnerability disclosures are categorized by risk severity (Critical, High, Medium, and Low). Comprehensive explanations of the issues, especially critical ones, are essential.

Understanding Project Owners’ Response

Evaluate how the project owners addressed the audit findings. Confirm that critical issues were appropriately resolved and auditors approved the fixes.

Understanding the Impact of Post-Audit Exploits

Recognize that audits don’t guarantee a bug-free codebase. Post-audit changes, external contract interactions, and varying audit scopes may affect project security.

Multiple Audits Don’t Equate to Comprehensive Security

Multiple audits from different teams may assess different codebases or have varying scopes. A series of audits doesn’t necessarily ensure a fully audited codebase.

Conclusion

Comprehending smart contract audit reports is crucial for all project stakeholders. These reports provide valuable insights into vulnerabilities, the team’s response, and the auditors’ confidence. Understanding the implications of an audit empowers both users and owners to make informed decisions about blockchain project security.

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Xamer Web3 Security
Xamer Web3 Security

Written by Xamer Web3 Security

Xamer is Web3's leading smart contract auditor and provides a comprehensive suite of tools to secure the industry at scale.

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