Security Tiers
Different levels of security assurance based on audit depth, methodology, and verification techniques employed.
Security tiers represent escalating levels of assurance for smart contract security. Each tier adds verification methods and depth, with corresponding increases in cost and confidence. Understanding these tiers helps projects choose appropriate security investments based on risk profile and TVL.
Common Security Tiers
Tier 1: Basic Review
- Manual code review by 1-2 auditors
- Focus on common vulnerabilities
- Static analysis tools (Slither, Aderyn)
- Timeline: 1-2 weeks
- Cost: $10,000-30,000
Tier 2: Standard Audit
- Multiple auditor review with cross-verification
- Manual + automated analysis
- Basic fuzzing campaigns
- Written report with findings
- Timeline: 2-4 weeks
- Cost: $30,000-80,000
Tier 3: Comprehensive Audit
- Senior auditor oversight
- Extensive fuzzing and invariant testing
- Economic attack modeling
- Integration testing
- Timeline: 4-6 weeks
- Cost: $80,000-150,000
Tier 4: Formal Verification
- Mathematical proofs of correctness
- Symbolic execution
- Property-based testing
- All lower-tier methods included
- Timeline: 6-12 weeks
- Cost: $150,000-500,000+
Tier Selection by TVL
| Expected TVL | Recommended Tier |
|---|---|
| < $1M | Tier 1-2 |
| $1M - $10M | Tier 2-3 |
| $10M - $100M | Tier 3 |
| > $100M | Tier 3-4 |
Combining Tiers
Many protocols layer security:
- Pre-launch: Tier 2-3 audit
- Launch: Bug bounty program
- Growth: Competitive audit contest
- Maturity: Formal verification for critical paths
Higher tiers don't replace lower tiers—they build upon them. A formal verification engagement still includes manual review and testing.
Articles Using This Term
Learn more about Security Tiers in these articles:
Related Terms
Formal Verification
Mathematical proof technique using symbolic logic to verify smart contract invariants cannot be violated under any conditions.
Fuzzing
Automated testing technique using randomly generated inputs to discover edge cases and vulnerabilities in smart contracts.
Competitive Audit
Public security review where multiple auditors compete to find vulnerabilities with rewards based on severity and discovery priority.
Bug Bounty
Reward program incentivizing security researchers to find and report vulnerabilities before malicious exploitation.
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