▫️Lesson 8.1: Auditing Process
Preparation and Planning
Understand the Audit Scope: Clarify the boundaries of the audit, including systems, processes, and units to be examined.
Gather Initial Documentation: Obtain all relevant specs, docs, architectural diagrams, and code repositories before beginning the audit.
Run Preliminary Tests
Automated Scanning: Use fast tools for preliminary scans. This includes linters for code quality checks, Slither for static analysis of smart contracts, and other static analysis tools to identify common vulnerabilities quickly.
In-depth Documentation Review
Deep Dive into Specs/Docs: Beyond initial reading, critically analyze documentation for security implications, consistency with the codebase, and adherence to best practices.
Comprehensive Manual Analysis
Code Review: Conduct detailed line-by-line inspections to understand the logic, look for security vulnerabilities, and ensure compliance with specifications.
Architecture Review: Examine the system architecture for potential security flaws, including data flow and access controls.
Run Intensive Tools
Dynamic Analysis and Fuzzing: Employ tools like Echidna for fuzz testing, revealing how the system behaves with unexpected or malformed inputs.
Symbolic Execution: Use Manticore or MythX for symbolic execution, analyzing possible execution paths and states for vulnerabilities.
Iterative Discussion and Re-testing
Internal Discussions: Regularly discuss findings within the audit team to refine understanding and approaches.
Client Consultations: Engage with the client to clarify intentions, configurations, and to verify preliminary findings.
Repeat Testing as Needed: Based on discussions and new insights, revisit earlier steps to re-test and re-evaluate the system.
Report Writing
Draft Report: Compile findings, evidence, and recommendations into a draft report. Include an executive summary, detailed findings, impact analysis, and remediation steps.
Client Review and Feedback: Share the draft report with the client for review, clarifications, and feedback.
Finalize the Report: Incorporate feedback, finalize the analysis, and deliver the comprehensive audit report.
Post-Audit Support
Remediation Verification: Offer support for verifying the implementation of recommended fixes or improvements.
Follow-up Audit: In some cases, a follow-up audit might be necessary to ensure all vulnerabilities are addressed and the system is secure.
Example Report Structure
Executive Summary: A high-level overview of the audit scope, methodology, key findings, and overall system security posture.
Methodology: Detailed explanation of the audit process, tools used, and testing techniques.
Findings: Comprehensive listing of all vulnerabilities found, categorized by severity. Include technical details, risk assessment, and impact analysis.
Recommendations: For each finding, provide actionable recommendations for remediation or mitigation.
Appendices: Include detailed logs, code snippets, proofs of concept, and any additional resources relevant to the audit.
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