Why will modular security layers bring changes to Web3 security?

Author: Haotian, independent researcher Source: X, tmel0211

I saw @GoPlusSecurity building a modular unified user security layer early in the morning. As a former Crypto security veteran, my unfinished security vision has been rekindled. Crypto's most important "security" direction has always been too "service" driven, and it is always in the embarrassing situation of "sloppy response beforehand, and helpless patting the thigh afterwards". How to break the situation? Will a modular security unified network be the optimal solution? Next, let me talk about my opinion:

1) Security issues are always taken seriously after the incident, which is what we often call the "security awareness" problem. The overall cognition cannot be improved by short-term appeals and shouting. It is destined to be stung by hacker attacks and phishing incidents again and again before it can gradually turn into a sense of vigilance.

Moreover, "security incidents" can only decrease as the industry matures, and they will not disappear. Therefore, security as a "service" will always be needed, but it will always be a passive need, which is not conducive to security companies to improve their Crypto ecological niche;

2) Modularity has become a normal development path in the Crypto field. Whether it is as large as a middleware network, or layer2, or some independently split DA modules, Execution modules, Settlement modules, and then to the expected Security layer modules, they are gradually becoming key modules that constitute the main elements of Crypto.

In the future, the consensus layer, settlement layer, execution layer, DA layer, etc. that originally constitute the chain will be independently packaged in a modular way, and embedded in the architecture system of each blockchain with high interoperability. The same is true for the security module layer, which will become an additional capability that is necessary or must be plugged and assembled for each chain;

3) As the overall development of the industry tends to mature, pure B-side hacker attacks are becoming less and less, which is directly related to the continuous security protection work of developers across the industry and the progress of industry codes driven by the DeFi black case forest. However, the reduction of B-side security incidents does not mean that the overall security disaster will disappear. A large number of phishing attacks have become a new round of security disaster areas. Therefore, a security module layer that is oriented to the C-side and can provide users with "unconscious" security protection must take on the mission;

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4) Why should we emphasize "unconsciousness"? Because of the advancement of technology and the maturity of the industry, complex problems must be abstracted to the back-end infra layer to solve, and the gap perceived by front-end users will become smaller and smaller. Based on modular construction of chain security components, it involves timely blocking of dangerous and suspicious transactions, path preview before transactions are uploaded to the chain, front-end Alert warnings before signing, updates of off-chain Oracle information such as phishing websites, KYC anti-money laundering compliance supervision, etc.

Simple in theory, but in reality it is compatible with various chains, different consensuses, and it also needs to match simple Wallet, Dex and other protocols in different environments. It is not easy to fully play the value of the modular security layer;

5) If security stays at the "service" layer, an inevitable reality is that there are endless plug-ins, various tools, and even developers, ordinary users, Traders, institutional users, etc. have to be equipped with different security solutions. As a result, the competition between security companies is in full swing, and ordinary users do not have an intuitive sense of improvement in security levels.

The security industry also needs a unified security module layer to continuously provide security warnings and experience improvements for C-end users, and to be highly compatible with B-end developers and chains, wallets, protocols and other infra. In the long run, the security awareness and security protection work of C-end and B-end can be improved consistently.  

In short, security attack and defense will always be a problem in the field of Crypto, because it is too close to money, and there will always be hacker organizations hiding in the dark and scanning for weak security links to attack.

In essence, hacker attacks and security protection are both cost confrontations. To achieve the goal of protection, the cost of hacker attacks must be increased. Fragmented security services are like guerrilla warfare, and the construction of a consistent security chain ecosystem and the united front protection of modular security layers are, in my opinion, the optimal solution to achieve the improvement of Crypto security levels.