Ethereum Launches $2 Million Attackathon for Protocol Security Audit
Ethereum, one of the leading blockchain platforms, is gearing up to launch its first-ever hackathon with a massive reward pool of $2 million. The event, dubbed the “Attackathon,” is set to be the largest crowdsourced security audit of Ethereum’s codebase.
Security researchers will participate in a four-week time-bound audit challenge where they will actively search for vulnerabilities in the protocol’s code. Only impactful and rule-compliant reports will be rewarded, with the event starting with a technical walkthrough to prepare participants for identifying potential vulnerabilities.
The Ethereum Protocol Security (EPS) research team has contributed $500,000 to the prize pool and is calling for sponsors to raise an additional $1.5 million by August 1. The team plans to host similar hackathons at every hard fork covering changes to the codebase.
In addition to the hackathon, Ethereum’s upcoming “Pectra” hard fork is expected to introduce major updates, including a “social recovery” feature that could revolutionize wallet security. The event aims to enhance Ethereum’s protocol security and is a collaboration between Immunefi and the Ethereum Foundation.
Hackathons and bug bounties are common in the tech and crypto world, with projects offering rewards to incentivize hackers to share their exploits instead of using them maliciously. Immunefi’s website shows that bug bounties in the crypto space can reach up to millions of dollars, highlighting the importance of security in the blockchain industry.