Security Audits and Compliance

This document outlines the Gemforce platform's approach to formal security audits, internal reviews, and adherence to relevant compliance standards. Maintaining a high level of security assurance is critical for a blockchain-based platform dealing with digital assets and sensitive identity data.

1. Smart Contract Security Audits

Formal security audits by independent third-party firms are a cornerstone of our smart contract security strategy.

1.1. Audit Scope and Process

  • Initial Audits: All core smart contracts, especially those handling value transfer, access control, or critical business logic (e.g., Diamond, Marketplace, TradeDeal, Minter facets), undergo comprehensive audits before initial deployment to mainnet environments.
  • Re-Audits: Significant changes to existing contracts (e.g., introduction of new facets, major upgrades) or the addition of highly sensitive functionalities trigger mandatory re-audits.
  • Continuous Review: Even between formal audits, developers regularly review code, conduct internal peer reviews, and leverage automated analysis tools to detect potential vulnerabilities.
  • Scope Definition: Each audit begins with a clearly defined scope, outlining the specific contracts, functionalities, and threat models to be covered.
  • Methodology: Auditors typically employ a combination of static analysis, dynamic analysis, manual code review, and penetration testing techniques.
  • Reporting: Detailed reports are generated, categorizing findings by severity (Critical, High, Medium, Low), providing clear explanations, and suggesting remediation steps.

1.2. Chosen Audit Firms

We engage reputable blockchain security audit firms known for their expertise in Solidity, EVM, and decentralized finance (DeFi) security. * Specific firm names will be disclosed publicly following successful audits and team approval.

1.3. Remediation and Verification

  • All findings from security audits are treated with high priority.
  • Critical and High-severity findings are addressed immediately.
  • Remediations are thoroughly tested by our internal QA and development teams.
  • For Critical and High-severity findings, follow-up verification by the auditing firm is requested to confirm vulnerabilities have been successfully mitigated.

2. Platform (Application & Infrastructure) Security Assessments

Beyond smart contracts, the Gemforce platform's cloud infrastructure, application logic (cloud functions, APIs), and data pipelines also undergo regular security scrutiny.

  • Penetration Testing: Annual or bi-annual penetration tests conducted by external security firms to simulate real-world attacks against our deployed systems.
  • Vulnerability Scanning: Continuous automated vulnerability scanning of our web applications, cloud environments, and network infrastructure.
  • Configuration Audits: Regular reviews of cloud service configurations (e.g., AWS Security Hub, GCP Security Command Center alerts) to ensure adherence to security best practices and compliance frameworks.
  • Dependency Scanning: Automated tools monitor third-party libraries and dependencies for known vulnerabilities (e.g., using npm audit, pip audit, Snyk, Dependabot).

3. Compliance and Regulatory Adherence

Gemforce is committed to complying with relevant industry standards and regulatory requirements. Our compliance efforts include:

  • Data Protection: Adhering to global data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) for handling personal user data.
  • KYC/AML Integration: Leveraging industry-standard Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) solutions to ensure compliance in financial transactions and identity verification.
  • Blockchain-Specific Regulations: Monitoring and adapting to evolving blockchain and digital asset regulations in relevant jurisdictions.
  • Internal Controls: Implementing strong internal controls to ensure segregation of duties, prevent fraud, and maintain data integrity.
  • Record Keeping: Maintaining comprehensive records of security incidents, audit reports, and compliance attestations.

4. Reporting Security Vulnerabilities

We operate a responsible disclosure program and encourage security researchers to report any discovered vulnerabilities.

  • Contact: Please refer to our official website or security.txt file for the preferred method of contacting our security team (e.g., dedicated security email, bug bounty platform).
  • Information Required: When reporting, please provide detailed steps to reproduce the vulnerability, its potential impact, and any proof-of-concept code.
  • Acknowledgement: We commit to acknowledging receipt of your report promptly and providing regular updates on our progress.