EkoLance is launching a 10-week course for people seeking a career in the blockchain ecosystem as a smart contract auditor.
The official start date of the course is the 5th of September, 2023. The sessions take place every Tuesday at 6PM CET online via Zoom.
Why this training is important?
A smart contract audit is an assessment of the code and logic of a smart contract to identify potential errors, vulnerabilities, or security weaknesses that could result in unintended behavior or financial loss.
There have been several high-profile hacks of smart contracts due to weak audits or lack of auditing altogether. Some examples include:
-
The DAO hack: In 2016, a hacker exploited a vulnerability in the code of The DAO, a decentralized autonomous organization built on Ethereum, and stole over 3.6 million ether (worth around $50 million at the time). The vulnerability was caused by a mistake in the smart contract code that allowed the hacker to repeatedly withdraw funds from the organization.
-
Parity Wallet hack: In 2017, a vulnerability in a smart contract of the Parity Wallet library contract led to the theft of over 153,000 ether (worth around $30 million at the time) from several Ethereum wallets. The vulnerability was caused by a mistake in the smart contract code that allowed the hacker to gain control of the library contract and steal the funds.
-
bZx hack: In 2020, a hacker exploited two separate vulnerabilities in the code of the bZx decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, which allowed the hacker to steal over $8 million worth of cryptocurrency.
-
Harvest Finance: In 2020, a hacker exploited a vulnerability in the smart contract code of the Harvest Finance decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, which allowed them to steal $24 million worth of cryptocurrency.
​
These and other high-profile smart contract hacks have highlighted the importance of performing thorough and regular smart contract audits to identify and fix vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by attackers.
​
Due to the danger of smart audit hacks and vulnerabilities in smart contracts, which can lead to huge financial losses, the profession of a smart contract auditor has become extremely important and demanded.
​
A Smart Contract Audit Training is important because it teaches individuals how to perform the assesment of smart contracts in a systematic and thorough manner, so they can identify and address any issues before the contract is deployed on a blockchain network. Additionally the Smart Contract Audit Training covers understanding the mechanism and the code of a smart contract which help the auditor to identify possible risks which may lead to financial loss.
​
EkoLance understands the importance of making blockchain products more secure and is providing structured web3 training for web3 developers, who want to upskill and become smart contract auditors.
Training structure
The training will take place over the course of 10 weeks. Every week the participants will interact with industry experts, and also be able to practice their skills on real life projects which would be included in their practical experience.
Week 1 - Basic Concepts of Smart Contract Auditing and Security:
-
Introduction to smart contracts
-
Basics of blockchain technology
-
Understanding the need for smart contract security
-
Roles and responsibilities in smart contract auditing
-
Key concepts: code review, testing, risk assessment
Week 2 - Necessity for Audits:
-
The importance of auditing in the development lifecycle
-
Real-world examples of smart contract vulnerabilities and their impacts
-
Legal and financial implications of insecure smart contracts
-
Building trust through auditing
Week 3 and 4 - Common Vulnerabilities in Smart Contracts:
-
Introduction to common vulnerabilities (e.g., reentrancy, overflow, underflow, etc.)
-
Deep dive into each vulnerability type
-
Code examples illustrating vulnerabilities
-
Best practices for avoiding vulnerabilities
-
Hands-on exercises: identifying vulnerabilities in sample contracts
-
Guest Speaker session
Week 5 and 6 - Tools and Techniques for Auditing Smart Contracts:
-
Overview of auditing tools and platforms
-
Static analysis vs. dynamic analysis
-
Automated vulnerability scanners
-
Manual code review techniques
-
Testnet deployment and testing
-
Integrating security into development workflows
-
Guest Speaker session
Week 7 - Case Studies of Smart Contract Audits:
-
In-depth analysis of real-world smart contract audits
-
Lessons learned from past audits
-
Successful audits vs. failed audits
-
Extracting insights for future audits
Week 8 - How to Respond to Smart Contract Hacks:
-
Incident response planning
-
Identifying the scope and impact of a hack
-
Immediate and long-term actions after a hack
-
Communicating with stakeholders
-
Rebuilding and enhancing security measures
-
Guest Speaker session
Week 9 - Regulatory Considerations When Auditing Smart Contracts:
-
Overview of relevant regulations and compliance frameworks
-
Legal responsibilities of auditors and developers
-
Impact of audits on regulatory compliance
-
Data privacy and confidentiality concerns
-
Guest Speaker session
Week 10 - Competition: Hackathon or Bug Bounty:
-
Engaging participants in practical application of knowledge
-
Organizing and participating in a hackathon or bug bounty program
-
Evaluating and rewarding successful participants
-
Learning from the competition: identifying new vulnerabilities and solutions
Additionally:
-
Question and Answer Sessions: Frequent interactive sessions for participants to clarify doubts and deepen understanding.
-
Live Smart Contract Auditing Session: A practical demonstration of the auditing process on a sample contract.
Why you should apply for this training?
Deepen your knowledge of smart contracts.
Understand smart contract risks and the potential damage that arises if vulnerabilities are exploited.
Become part of a large blockchain savvy community.
Network with other solidity developers and smart contract auditors
All participants have a chance to be selected for open roles through Ekolance’s recruiting service.
Get direct connections to the corporate partners, who participate in the program.
Understand different ways on how to monetize your skills as blockchain security specialist and auditor.
By completing the course you will receive a certificate from EkoLance as Certified Smart Contract Auditor.
After taking this Smart Contract Audit Training, you will be able to:
​​
-
Implement and deploy smart contracts.
​
-
Detect smart contracts errors.
​
-
Perform automated security checks on smart contracts.
​
-
Make use of recent blockchain tools for development and safety audits.
​
-
Track blockchain transactions.
​
-
Curb crypto-jacking malware.
​
-
Safeguard blockchain against privacy attacks.
​
-
Get a job with a renowned blockchain firm that pays you well or become a freelance smart contract auditor.
This Training is delivered to you by a professional smart contract auditor.
David Uzochukwu
Smart Contract Developer & Auditor
David is a distinguished senior smart contract developer and an accomplished smart contract auditor, boasting a track record that speaks to his expertise. With a notable history at Quill Audits, where he played a pivotal role in safeguarding multiple blockchain projects, David's impact has been consistently marked by excellence.
Following his tenure at Quill Audits, David started consulting companies on blockchain security and conducting meticulous solo-audits. He is also the co-founder of Guild Audits, a smart contract audit company. David was also Consensys Ambassador.
David boasts a remarkable track record on code4arena, where his prowess led to the acquisition of bug bounties amounting to thousands of dollars. However, David's influence extends beyond individual accomplishments; he is fervently dedicated to nurturing the next generation of developers and auditors.
Having personally trained a substantial number of developers in blockchain technology for esteemed organizations, David's guidance has been instrumental in shaping the competencies of rising talents. His mentorship also extends to aspiring smart contract auditors, a significant portion of whom now hold vital roles within international blockchain security enterprises.
Currently David works for the Layer2 company Nahmii.
Past speakers
Sebastian Bürgel
Founder & CTO, HOPR
Sebastian Burgel is a highly skilled problem-solver and technical innovator who is passionate about empowering individuals through technology. With a PhD in microtechnology and microfabrication for biomedical applications, Sebastian has a strong foundation in cutting-edge technology and its real-world applications.
Before entering the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry, Sebastian worked as a postdoctoral fellow at ETH Zurich, where he specialized in research related to drug discovery, cancer research, and neglected tropical diseases. He is also the co-founder of two successful tech startups - SONECT and Validity Labs - where he played a key role in securing funding, building technical teams, and overseeing project execution.
Currently, Sebastian is the founder of HOPR, a company committed to creating a privacy-first web3, where privacy is a critical aspect of the next generation of web applications, platforms, and services. As the leader of HOPR, Sebastian is responsible for overseeing the technical development of HOPRnet.org, ensuring that it provides a secure, decentralized solution that empowers individuals to take control of their data and protect their privacy online.
Danny Aksenov
Blockchain Security Engineer, Quantstamp
Danny Aksenov is a blockchain security engineer with extensive experience in the field. He is currently working at Quantstamp as Blockchain Security Engineer.
Prior to this, Danny was a consultant at Waverly Lab from 2018 to April 2022, where he developed, audited, and successfully deployed an NFT collection. He has a strong working knowledge of Solidity, the EVM, and blockchain technology, as well as server operating systems. He has experience in creating business requirements and technical and quality assurance specifications, and deploying projects onto the cloud via Digital Ocean.
Additionally, he has worked to harden both client and server-side security for various projects and has performed routine vulnerability assessments and patch management. Before his work at Waverly Lab, Danny worked at Flashpoint as a Lead Tactical Monitoring Analyst and Intelligence Analyst. ​
Arabdha Sudhir
VP of Marketing, Halborn
Arabdha Sudhir is currently serving as the VP of Marketing for Halborn, an elite cybersecurity solutions provider for blockchain. In her role, Arabdha manages marketing campaigns and strategic partnerships with partners such as Animoca Brands, Sushi, Polygon, and Solana. Prior to this, she was the Marketing Director for Halborn for a year.
Arabdha holds a degree from IE Business School and has been associated with the institution for over 7 years. She has a strong background in talent recruitment, marketing, and PR activities for various programs of IE Business School, including the International MBA and Master In Management program.
Arabdha is an Adjunct Professor at IE Business School in Madrid, where she has been teaching design thinking, sustainability, blockchain, and entrepreneurship workshops since August 2017. She is also a Co-Founder and CMO of Brand 4 Impact, a platform for companies to donate to NGOs while getting the most out of their impact.
​
Previously, Arabdha served as the Marketing Director and Co-founder at Iconic Holding, a global crypto asset management firm headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany.
Alireza Siadat
Partner, Annerton
Alireza Siadat is a lawyer and regulatory expert with a focus on blockchain and digital assets. He is currently a partner at Annerton Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH, a law firm that specializes in regulatory law in the financial industry.
Prior to his work at Annerton, Alireza was a board member and founding member of thinkBLOCKtank, a Luxembourg-based organization that shares legal knowledge with the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.
He currently serves as an advisor for Blockchain Founders Group (BFG) AG, a Liechtenstein-based company builder and venture capital investor that supports promising business models in the fields of crypto assets, DLT, and blockchain.
In addition, Siadat is a co-publisher of the new legal journal on the digital economy, Zeitschrift für das Recht der digitalen Wirtschaft (ZDiW), where he is responsible for the categories of Digital Finance and E-Commerce.
Meet the organizational team
Maria Eneva-Olms
Founder & CEO, EkoLance
Maria is the founder and CEO of EkoLance. She is also the founder of the blockchain experts' community Ledger Nation with access to leaders from the international blockchain ecosystem. She is a financial services professional with over 8 years of experience in consulting banks, asset managers and insurance companies on technology topics.
She is the author of articles about crypto investing as well as frequent speaker and moderator at international blockchain conferences.
Emmanuel Tope Ogunsakin
Growth Manager, EkoLance
Emmanuel Tope is the Community Growth Manager at Ekolance. A developer trained by Ekolance who has been involved in Projects like ESGROW A Platform for submitting ESG related project to participate in Crowding funding through Voting, Minting NFT and Raising funds from the NFT Marketplace.Before transitioning into the web3 space, he worked as a Civil Engineer. He believes that the Blockchain technology will change the habits, behaviors and how humans perceive every facet of life.
Who is this training for?
-
You need to have at least 6-12 months of experiece in Solidity.​
​
-
You have good English speaking and writing skills.
-
You can commit to spend at least 10 hours per week on the program and your personal study during the 10 week course of the training.
​
-
You should have appropriate equipment to participate in the program.
​
-
You desire to work as a Smart Contract Auditor.
Get your ticket to level up your career and become a highly-paid blockchain professional.
Improve your skills & Increase your Network by participating in Hackathons.
At EkoLance, we are passionate about helping professionals advance their careers in the blockchain industry.
​
Our commitment to your professional success doesn't stop at the end of the course because we know that practical experience is key to landing your dream job in the blockchain.
As a result of this, we frequently host hackathons with top blockchain companies for you to put your new skills to practice, collaborate with other professionals, and even network with potential employers.
​
As a hackathon participant, you get the opportunity to work on real-world blockchain projects, receive feedback from industry experts, and potentially even land job offers from top blockchain companies that partner with us.
​
Hackathon with
Recently we organized a hackathon with Quantstamp, a leading blockchain security firm.
We had 60 developers signed up for the hackathon, 5 developers were picked for the recruitment process with Quantstamp and 3 developers won bounties as the winners of the hackathon.
.png)
Testimonials from the previous cohort of Smart Contract Auditors
Görkem Taner Açıkgöz
Suggesting that we take on the Smart Contract Audit contest during the training was a brilliant idea, and it significantly enhanced my learning experience. The guest speakers played a crucial role by providing incredibly helpful insights. One of the highlights for me was when they explained how to use echidna and discussed recruitment conditions. I firmly believe that continuing to incorporate special lessons with guest speakers and recommending Smart Contract Audit contest to members of the smart contract audit lesson will further elevate the course to new heights. Thank you for providing such a valuable and enriching learning opportunity
Victor Okafor
The course brought in industry professionals who provided us with real and practical advice. Their expertise and insights were incredibly valuable, giving us a firsthand understanding of the industry. I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from such experienced professionals. Thank you for organizing this exceptional course.
Sascha Kubisch
The course accommodated students in different time zones by providing lecture recordings, ensuring that everyone had access to the valuable content. The inclusion of guest speakers added a unique dimension to the course, offering practical insights from industry experts. Additionally, the international atmosphere fostered a diverse and enriching learning experience. I truly appreciated the inclusive approach of the course. Thank you for creating such a wonderful learning environment
Mohammed Rizwan
I was thrilled to attend the industry expert sessions featuring Quantstamp and Halborn. The insights and knowledge shared by these professionals were invaluable. I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to learn from the best in the field. Thank you for organizing such an enriching course!
Success Stories
Here are some impressive results from the participant's performance in a smart contract audit contest.
Do you want to join the Smart Contract Audit Training?
Register to receive information about how to join the program
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I register for this training?
​
-
Fill out the short registration forma and you will receive information about the price of the course and the payment options. After purchasing your ticket you will receive an email from us with all information regarding the next steps. This can take up to a few hours, because we write the emails personally to everyone.
​
How do I gain access to the course?
​​
-
You will get details for the training sessions in an email after you purchase your ticket. If you face any challenges or you have a query regarding making a purchase, send a message to this email prosper@ekolance.io or you can drop your queries on the Discord channel.
​
Can I take this course even though I am new to the blockchain space?
​
-
No, you are supposed to have 6-12 months of experience in solidity to qualify for this training.
​
How soon will I begin to audit smart contracts?
​​
-
All of our training at EkoLance is practical. You'll have the opportunity to practice your skills on real-life projects and receive hands-on training in a structured environment.
​
Will the sessions be recorded?
​
-
Every session will be recorded and you will be granted immediate access to it.
​
For how long can I access the course?
​​
-
Once you have enrolled for this course, you will have access to the recorded sessions for 1 year.
​
Will I get a job as smart contract auditor after this Training Program?
​
-
All participants have a chance to be selected for open roles through Ekolance’s recruiting service.
​
-
You will get direct connections to the corporate partners, who participate in the program.
​
-
We will show you multiple ways on how to monetize your skills as blockchain security specialist and auditor.
​
Will I get certified after this Training?
​
-
By completing the course you will receive a PDF as well as NFT certificate from EkoLance as Certified Smart Contract Auditor.