When deploying a Web3 app, Web3 security best practices cannot be an afterthought. Developers often overlook critical security aspects due to tight deadlines, lack of expertise, or underestimating risks.
This oversight has contributed to significant financial losses in the industry. In 2024, losses from crypto hacks surged by 21% to $2.2 billion, marking the fourth consecutive year where hacking losses exceeded $1 billion.
At Syndika, we have identified nine key security areas that development teams commonly deprioritize before going live.
Use this checklist to ensure your dApp security is secure, resilient, and production-ready.
General Security Best Practices
✅ Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) in Web3 for all sensitive actions.
MFA adds an extra layer of protection beyond passwords, making it significantly harder for attackers to gain unauthorized access to critical accounts. It should be enforced for admin panels, financial transactions, and any high-privilege operations.
✅ Follow the principle of least privilege (PoLP) in blockchain for all roles and permissions.
Users, APIs, and smart contracts should have only the permissions necessary to perform their functions. Overprivileged access increases security risks and potential damage from compromised accounts.
✅ Regularly conduct smart contract auditing and penetration testing for Web3 applications.
Hiring third-party security experts to perform audits ensures vulnerabilities are identified before bad actors exploit them. Regular testing helps validate security controls.
✅ Use secure, version-controlled dependency management to avoid supply chain attacks in Web3.
Keep track of dependencies and only use trusted sources. Supply chain attacks can introduce vulnerabilities via third-party libraries. Use tools like npm audit, Snyk, or Dependabot for automatic vulnerability detection.
✅ Monitor security advisories for third-party libraries and dependencies. Outdated or vulnerable dependencies are a major attack vector. Regularly checking advisories and applying patches helps mitigate risks.
✅ Implement logging and monitoring for blockchain applications to track suspicious activities.
Set up security logging to track authentication failures, API usage, and abnormal behavior. Use tools like SIEM solutions to detect and respond to threats in real-time.
✅ Ensure regulatory compliance in blockchain security (e.g., GDPR, SOC2, ISO 27001).
Failure to meet compliance standards can lead to legal penalties and reputational damage. Understand the requirements for handling user data and implement necessary security measures.
✅ Establish an incident response plan for DeFi and security best practices training for employees.
An incident response plan outlines steps for identifying, containing, and mitigating security incidents. Regular security training ensures team members stay informed about evolving threats.
✅ Establish a disaster recovery plan with clear recovery point objectives (RPO) and recovery time objectives (RTO).
Define acceptable recovery limits to minimize downtime in case of a security incident.
✅ Conduct security training and awareness programs for development and operational teams.
Many security breaches occur due to human error. Continuous training on phishing attacks, credential management, and social engineering is essential.
✅ Implement secure software development lifecycle (SDLC) best practices.
Integrate security checks at every development stage, including code review, static analysis, and automated security testing, to catch vulnerabilities early.
✅ Define clear access control policies for developers, testers, and operations teams.
Restrict access to production environments and sensitive data. Use role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce least privilege policies.
Special Measures for Production Deployment
✅ Conduct a final blockchain security audit before production deployment.
A final audit ensures that no major vulnerabilities exist before an application goes live. It should include code review, penetration testing, and blockchain security analysis.
✅ Remove all debugging tools, test accounts, and hardcoded credentials.
Leaving debugging tools or test credentials in production is a common mistake that attackers exploit. Ensure that they are removed before deployment.
✅ Enable logging and monitoring for blockchain applications in production with alerts on anomalies.
Real-time monitoring helps detect suspicious activities such as unauthorized API calls, brute-force attacks, and unusual user behavior.
✅ Implement a rollback mechanism to quickly revert to a secure state if needed.
In case a critical vulnerability is found post-deployment, a rollback plan allows quick reversion to a known secure state without downtime.
✅ Ensure secure API key management in Web3 to protect third-party integrations.
Misconfigured API keys can lead to unauthorized access. Restrict API key permissions and rotate keys periodically.
Frontend Security
✅ Use HTTPS with TLS 1.2+ for all communications.
Encrypt all data in transit to prevent eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks.
✅ Implement a Content Security Policy (CSP) to mitigate XSS attacks.
A strong CSP helps prevent malicious scripts from executing in the browser.
✅ Use secure authentication flows for dApps (e.g., OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect).
Ensure proper session management and avoid storing authentication tokens in local storage.
✅ Avoid storing private keys or sensitive data in local storage, session storage, or cookies.
Use secure vaults or encrypted storage solutions instead.
✅ Validate user input on both client and server sides to prevent bypassing security measures.
Server-side validation is essential since client-side security can be bypassed easily.
Backend Security
✅ Use JWTs securely with proper expiration and revocation mechanisms.
Short-lived tokens with rotation mechanisms reduce the risk of session hijacking.
✅ Implement secure API authentication and authorization mechanisms.
Enforce OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, or other secure protocols to prevent unauthorized access.
✅ Secure database access with encryption at rest and in transit.
Data should be encrypted to protect against unauthorized access in case of breaches.
✅ Prevent SQL Injection and NoSQL Injection vulnerabilities.
Use prepared statements and parameterized queries to safeguard against injection attacks.
✅ Implement rate limiting and throttling to prevent abuse.
Restrict excessive API requests to mitigate brute-force and DDoS attacks.
✅ Securely store and hash passwords using bcrypt, Argon2, or PBKDF2.
Using strong hashing algorithms prevents password cracking and credential leaks.
✅ Use Web Application Firewalls (WAF) to filter malicious traffic.
WAFs help block common web-based attacks, including XSS and injection attempts.
✅ Regularly scan for vulnerabilities using automated security tools.
Tools like OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite help identify and fix security weaknesses.
✅ Ensure proper error handling to avoid information leakage.
Detailed error messages should not expose stack traces or sensitive system details.
✅ Perform regular backups and have disaster recovery plans in place.
Frequent encrypted backups ensure data recovery in case of cyberattacks or failures.
✅ Use proper access control for database queries to prevent privilege escalation.
Restrict queries based on role-based access control (RBAC) principles.
Mobile Application Security
✅ Use secure key management solutions like Secure Enclave or Keystore.
Hardware-based key storage prevents unauthorized access to sensitive credentials.
✅ Encrypt data stored on the device and in transit.
Using AES-256 and TLS 1.2+ ensures data remains protected from interception.
✅ Utilize secure authentication methods (e.g., biometric, OAuth 2.0).
Multi-factor authentication enhances security by requiring multiple verification factors.
✅ Protect against reverse engineering with code obfuscation and tamper detection.
Using tools like ProGuard and DexGuard makes it harder for attackers to analyze your app.
✅ Implement runtime application self-protection (RASP) to detect threats.
RASP actively monitors app behavior to detect and block real-time attacks.
✅ Avoid hardcoding secrets, API keys, or sensitive credentials.
Use environment variables or secure vaults to manage sensitive keys dynamically.
✅ Ensure secure deep linking to prevent unauthorized access.
Validate incoming URLs and require authentication before performing sensitive actions.
✅ Regularly test mobile apps with static and dynamic analysis tools.
Using tools like MobSF helps identify security flaws in code and runtime behavior.
✅ Implement sandboxing techniques to limit app privileges.
Restrict file system access and permissions to reduce the impact of exploits.
✅ Ensure updates and patches are deployed promptly.
Frequent security updates reduce the risk of known vulnerabilities being exploited.
✅ Verify that logs do not contain sensitive information before storing or transmitting.
Sanitizing logs prevents accidental exposure of credentials, tokens, or personal data.
Smart Contract Security
✅ Follow secure Solidity development best practices.
Use proper access controls and avoid untrusted external calls to mitigate blockchain security vulnerabilities.
✅ Use standardized and well-audited libraries (e.g., OpenZeppelin).
Leveraging trusted libraries minimizes vulnerabilities from insecure code.
✅ Implement reentrancy protection using checks-effects-interactions pattern.
This prevents attackers from repeatedly calling a function before state updates occur.
✅ Avoid using deprecated Solidity functions and unsafe math operations.
Always use Solidity’s latest blockchain security audit-compliant safe math libraries to prevent overflows and underflows..
✅ Use secure random number generation mechanisms.
On-chain randomness should be sourced from secure oracles like Chainlink VRF.
✅ Ensure correct access control to prevent unauthorized contract execution.
Use modifier-based role management to restrict sensitive contract functions.
✅ Implement emergency stop mechanisms in case of vulnerabilities.
A circuit breaker function allows contracts to halt in case of an exploit.
✅ Regularly audit and test smart contracts with formal verification tools.
Using tools like Slither and MythX helps detect vulnerabilities before deployment.
✅ Deploy contracts with minimal privileges and upgradeability constraints.
Reduce access to upgrade mechanisms to prevent malicious takeovers.
✅ Monitor contract activity for anomalies and unauthorized interactions.
On-chain monitoring tools can detect unusual token movements and function calls.
✅ Verify gas optimizations to avoid excessive transaction fees.
Inefficient gas usage can lead to high operational costs and failed transactions.
✅ Ensure smart contract ownership and admin roles are properly managed and monitored.
Use multi-signature wallets for administrative actions to prevent single-point failures.
Cloud Infrastructure Security
✅ Use cloud infrastructure security for Web3 to ensure consistent security configurations.
Define security policies as code to automate enforcement and reduce misconfigurations.
✅ Secure cloud storage with proper IAM roles and encryption policies.
Enforce least privilege access and enable encryption for all storage buckets.
✅ Enable DDoS protection and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs).
These help mitigate large-scale attacks that can bring services offline.
✅ Implement network segmentation and restrict access with firewalls.
Separating workloads minimizes the impact of a compromised system.
✅ Secure CI/CD pipelines with proper access controls and artifact integrity verification.
Restrict access to build processes and ensure artifact signatures are verified.
✅ Regularly update cloud-based services and apply security patches.
Keeping dependencies up to date prevents known exploits from being used.
✅ Enforce logging, monitoring, and security analytics for anomaly detection.
Using SIEM solutions helps identify security threats in real time.
✅ Utilize secrets management solutions like AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault.
Storing secrets securely prevents exposure through misconfigurations.
✅ Ensure least privilege access for cloud infrastructure components.
Limit user and service account permissions to only what is necessary.
✅ Perform regular security assessments on cloud configurations and permissions.
Frequent audits help detect misconfigurations that could lead to security breaches.
✅ Disable default credentials and remove unused cloud resources to reduce the attack surface.
Unused assets create potential entry points for attackers if left unsecured.
✅ Use auto-scaling and resource isolation to prevent resource exhaustion attacks.
Dynamic scaling ensures system resilience against unexpected spikes in traffic.
Incident Response & Monitoring
✅ Establish a clear incident response plan with predefined roles as Web3 security best practices.
Having a structured plan ensures swift action during security incidents.
✅ Continuously monitor application logs and alerts for security threats.
Log aggregation tools help identify suspicious behavior in real-time.
✅ Automate anomaly detection using AI-driven security tools.
Machine learning models can quickly detect patterns associated with threats.
✅ Implement an intrusion detection system (IDS) and security information and event management (SIEM).
These systems help detect and respond to unauthorized activities.
✅ Have a rollback plan in case of security incidents.
Being able to quickly revert to a previous secure state minimizes downtime.
✅ Maintain an up-to-date incident response playbook.
A well-documented response plan improves the efficiency of handling breaches.
✅ Regularly train staff on security awareness and incident handling.
Employees should be prepared to recognize and respond to threats effectively.
✅ Conduct post-incident analysis to improve future security measures.
Reviewing incidents ensures continuous improvement in security practices.
✅ Ensure logs are securely stored and protected from tampering.
Proper log integrity mechanisms prevent attackers from covering their tracks, reinforcing the Web application protection.
The “Security After Launch” Trap
Finally, one of the biggest mistakes Web3 dev teams make is treating security as a single audit rather than an ongoing process. Too often, projects in a Web3 ecosystem rush to launch, thinking they can “fix” vulnerabilities later—only to face devastating hacks, drained liquidity, or complete protocol failure.
The reality is security isn’t just about preventing exploits— Web application security is always about protecting users, trust, and the longevity of your project.
At Syndika’s Cyber & Compiance division, we fully understand that in Web3 application development, security must be embedded in your development lifecycle—not an afterthought. Implementing audits, attack simulations, infrastructure safeguards, and community-driven security measures before going live can mean the difference between a thriving project and a costly failure.
Don’t wait for an exploit to take action. Build secure, launch smart, and stay ahead.
Got Web3 questions?
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