Secureum Bootcamp for Smart Contract Security Auditing

Epoch 0: October-December 2021

Secureum, a portmanteau of Security & Ethereum and pronounced like the latter, started as a newsletter about observations, learnings and perspectives on security topics in Ethereum. The first issue was published on 3 January 2021, the twelfth anniversary of bitcoin network’s existence. The ten issues published were well received and then the newsletter was paused to focus on identifying the best way forward for Secureum to have a more tangible impact in the domain of smart contract security.

The goal was to maximize the impact of Secureum’s efforts in addressing the most pressing problems in this space. The topic that kept coming up was the lack of quality content and quantity talent as it pertains to Ethereum security — specifically smart contract auditing. The demand for smart contract security audits/auditors has far exceeded the supply for a while now. The hope was for Secureum to do something bigger/better in this space.

So I’m thrilled to be back with an exciting announcement — “Secureum Bootcamp for Smart Contract Security Auditing,” which has received a funding grant from the prestigious Ethereum Foundation’s Ecosystem Support Program and sponsored partnerships with three leading security auditing firms: ConsenSys Diligence, Sigma Prime and Trail of Bits. I’m grateful for their support and look forward to an impactful outcome.

Secureum Bootcamp: Why, What & Who?

Secureum Bootcamp is a 3-month long intense bootcamp meant primarily for participants who want to get into smart contract security auditing as a part/full time profession. Those who would like to add auditing as a core skill for their current/future projects are also welcome to apply. In other words, the bootcamp is meant for those who want to get serious about smart contract security auditing.

Why would you want to get serious now about learning smart contract security? 

• The demand for competent smart contract auditors is going through the roof, which is why every auditing firm in this space is looking for top talent by attracting them with great work, perks and flexibility. This is driven by the pressing need for quality audits from hundreds of innovative projects launching on Ethereum. The challenge is that there are very few people who understand both Ethereum smart contracts and security. There has never been a better time to learn about smart contract security auditing and support innovation in this space.

• For students and professionals in the Web2 security space, this is a great opportunity to leap into Web3 and contribute to foundational security aspects of Ethereum projects addressing DeFi and other decentralized applications.

• For developers already building in Web3/Ethereum, this is a great opportunity to specialize in security. While Ethereum developers are in great demand, smart contract auditors are in greater demand.

• Scaling is a hot topic in Ethereum; scaling security is a hotter topic. We keep reading about numerous smart contract hacks and millions of dollars lost. The core problem is the lack of sufficient security talent who can invent new tools/techniques and apply/improve existing ones to sufficiently raise the bar of smart contract security. We need to scale security talent 100x.

• The community of Ethereum security enthusiasts is less than a thousand, of which, my guess is that less than a hundred are focussed on smart contract security as their primary objective. We need to grow this community 100x.

What is “Secureum Bootcamp for Smart Contract Security Auditing” all about?

• It is an intense 3-month program running from October-December 2021.

• It is absolutely free for all selected applicants.

• The core focus will be Ethereum Smart Contract Security Auditing.

• The covered topics will include Ethereum, Solidity, Smart Contract Security & Audits.

• The program is split into two phases:

  • Learn Phase (Oct-Nov): Participants will have readings/videos, quizzes, assignments & more. This will require a minimum dedication of 10-20 hours per week.

  • Audit Phase (Dec): Participants will evaluate projects to apply their learnings. This will also require a minimum of 10-20 hours per week. Selected candidates (based on performance in quizzes, audits and other criteria) will be invited by Sponsor Partners to interview for potential opportunities.

Who is Secureum Bootcamp meant for?

• Students & Professionals: Anyone interested in getting into smart contract security auditing.

• Beginners & Experts: While the bootcamp will assume a certain level of proficiency in security and/or programming (of any kind), the curated content will cover basic and advanced aspects related to Ethereum and Solidity. Those who aren’t familiar with either should be able to ramp up by dedicating more time/effort, and those already familiar will have an opportunity to dive deeper into security/auditing aspects.

• Part-time & Full-time: The expected level of participant effort is a minimum of 10-20 hours per week which of course will depend on their prior experience and skills in these topics. As such, this program should be doable for participants who have existing part-time or full-time commitments. A few hours every day coupled with extra effort over weekends should help cover the weekly assigned content, assignments and quizzes.

• Web2 & Web3: This should be appealing to both Web2 (i.e., not familiar with Web3/Ethereum concepts) and Web3 practitioners. Web2 security students/experts and Web3 developers will likely get the most out of this bootcamp but really anyone willing to put in the required effort should have a good chance.

• Security & Programming: Proficiency in security fundamentals and programming of some kind will really help get the most out of this bootcamp.

Next Steps

• Please help spread the word to/and apply for the bootcamp at https://forms.gle/TmbaxCyKi3TW9VKW9. 

  • Announcement: https://hackmd.io/@secureum/bootcamp-epoch0-announcement.

  • Last date to apply is 1 August 2021.

  • Depending on the responses, there may be further evaluation rounds. Only selected applicants will be invited to participate in the bootcamp.

  • The bootcamp is limited to 100 participants.

• Stay tuned for updates:

  • Discord: https://discord.gg/ym8BtcWUY2

  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSecureum

  • HackMD: https://hackmd.io/@secureum

  • Organizer: https://twitter.com/0xRajeev