Shape the future of ZK: Announcing the ARC-0041 contest

The security of the Aleo Network is top of mind as we approach our mainnet launch. Ensuring the robustness and reliability of our platform is crucial to building trust and providing a stable, secure platform upon which world-class products can be built. 

To that end, we’re excited to announce we’re partnering with Sherlock to create an audit contest open between June 10 and June 24. Participants are eligible for a pool of $155,000 for pinpointing and describing code vulnerabilities in ARC-0041.

What is ARC-0041?

ARC-0041 includes the updated implementation of the credits.aleo program, bringing fundamental protocol improvements to enhance the network's practicality. One of the key updates is the revised staking and delegating paradigm. ARC-0041 introduces a new function that allows users to delegate funds to activate a validator, without sacrificing custody of their funds or compromising the security of their keys.

How to participate

The contest is open to anyone who wants to be a part of a ZK-first future and is up for a challenge. Participants will review the ARC-0041 code and suggest critical improvements.

Anyone is eligible to earn a share of the $125,000 pot, and individual shares will be decided algorithmically based on the number, severity, and rarity of your submissions. Once the contest ends on June 24th, Sherlock’s expert judges will curate the vulnerabilities and make payouts a few weeks later.

Before registering, be sure to review the full guide to Sherlock audit contests as well as the contest handbook, which is helpful for folks not already familiar with Aleo to get up to speed.

Ready to get started? You can register to participate on the contest page and begin submitting vulnerabilities on June 10th at 3pm UTC.

Renewing our commitment to security

This audit contest is one of over a dozen audits and bug bounty programs completed over the four years of Aleo’s development, efforts that ensure the security of our codebase. With the help of Sherlock’s experience and their network of auditors, we aim to identify and address potential vulnerabilities to ensure our platform remains safe and reliable. And if successful, this partnership could also provide a mechanism to audit future proposed codebase changes in the future.

Additionally, Alex Pruden from Aleo and Jack Sanford and Scott Gralnick from Sherlock will be available during our Audit Contest X Space on June 10th at 7:30 AM PT to share more about how you can get involved and make your mark on the Aleo Network.