- name
- security-audit
- description
- license
- MIT
- metadata
- author
- aptos-labs
- version
- 1.0
- category
- move
- tags
- ["security", "audit", "vulnerabilities", "best-practices"]
- priority
- critical
Security Audit Skill
Overview
This skill performs systematic security audits of Move contracts using a comprehensive checklist. Every item must pass before deployment.
Critical: Security is non-negotiable. User funds depend on correct implementation.
Core Workflow
Step 1: Run Security Checklist
Review ALL categories in order:
- Access Control - Who can call functions?
- Input Validation - Are inputs checked?
- Object Safety - Object model used correctly?
- Reference Safety - No dangerous references exposed?
- Arithmetic Safety - Overflow/underflow prevented?
- Generic Type Safety - Phantom types used correctly?
- Testing - 100% coverage achieved?
Step 2: Access Control Audit
Verify:
- [ ] All
entryfunctions verify signer authority - [ ] Object ownership checked with
object::owner() - [ ] Admin functions check caller is admin
- [ ] Function visibility uses least-privilege
- [ ] No public functions modify state without checks
Check for:
// ✅ CORRECT: Signer verification
public entry fun update_config(admin: &signer, value: u64) acquires Config {
let config = borrow_global<Config>(@my_addr);
assert!(signer::address_of(admin) == config.admin, E_NOT_ADMIN);
// Safe to proceed
}
// ❌ WRONG: No verification
public entry fun update_config(admin: &signer, value: u64) acquires Config {
let config = borrow_global_mut<Config>(@my_addr);
config.value = value; // Anyone can call!
}For objects:
// ✅ CORRECT: Ownership verification
public entry fun transfer_item(
owner: &signer,
item: Object<Item>,
to: address
) acquires Item {
assert!(object::owner(item) == signer::address_of(owner), E_NOT_OWNER);
// Safe to transfer
}
// ❌ WRONG: No ownership check
public entry fun transfer_item(
owner: &signer,
item: Object<Item>,
to: address
) acquires Item {
// Anyone can transfer any item!
}Step 3: Input Validation Audit
Verify:
- [ ] Numeric inputs checked for zero:
assert!(amount > 0, E_ZERO_AMOUNT) - [ ] Numeric inputs within max limits:
assert!(amount <= MAX, E_AMOUNT_TOO_HIGH) - [ ] Vector lengths validated:
assert!(vector::length(&v) > 0, E_EMPTY_VECTOR) - [ ] String lengths checked:
assert!(string::length(&s) <= MAX_LENGTH, E_NAME_TOO_LONG) - [ ] Addresses validated:
assert!(addr != @0x0, E_ZERO_ADDRESS) - [ ] Enum-like values in range:
assert!(type_id < MAX_TYPES, E_INVALID_TYPE)
Check for:
// ✅ CORRECT: Comprehensive validation
public entry fun deposit(user: &signer, amount: u64) acquires Account {
assert!(amount > 0, E_ZERO_AMOUNT);
assert!(amount <= MAX_DEPOSIT_AMOUNT, E_AMOUNT_TOO_HIGH);
let account = borrow_global_mut<Account>(signer::address_of(user));
assert!(account.balance <= MAX_U64 - amount, E_OVERFLOW);
account.balance = account.balance + amount;
}
// ❌ WRONG: No validation
public entry fun deposit(user: &signer, amount: u64) acquires Account {
let account = borrow_global_mut<Account>(signer::address_of(user));
account.balance = account.balance + amount; // Can overflow!
}Step 4: Object Safety Audit
Verify:
- [ ] ConstructorRef never returned from public functions
- [ ] All refs (TransferRef, DeleteRef, ExtendRef) generated in constructor
- [ ] Object signer only used during construction or with ExtendRef
- [ ] Ungated transfers disabled unless explicitly needed
- [ ] DeleteRef only generated for truly burnable objects
Check for:
// ❌ DANGEROUS: Returning ConstructorRef
public fun create_item(): ConstructorRef {
let constructor_ref = object::create_object(@my_addr);
constructor_ref // Caller can destroy object!
}
// ✅ CORRECT: Return Object<T>
public fun create_item(creator: &signer): Object<Item> {
let constructor_ref = object::create_object(signer::address_of(creator));
let transfer_ref = object::generate_transfer_ref(&constructor_ref);
let delete_ref = object::generate_delete_ref(&constructor_ref);
let object_signer = object::generate_signer(&constructor_ref);
move_to(&object_signer, Item { transfer_ref, delete_ref });
object::object_from_constructor_ref<Item>(&constructor_ref)
}Step 5: Reference Safety Audit
Verify:
- [ ] No
&mutreferences exposed in public function signatures - [ ] Critical fields protected from
mem::swap - [ ] Mutable borrows minimized in scope
Check for:
// ❌ DANGEROUS: Exposing mutable reference
public fun get_item_mut(item: Object<Item>): &mut Item acquires Item {
borrow_global_mut<Item>(object::object_address(&item))
// Caller can mem::swap fields!
}
// ✅ CORRECT: Controlled mutations
public entry fun update_item_name(
owner: &signer,
item: Object<Item>,
new_name: String
) acquires Item {
assert!(object::owner(item) == signer::address_of(owner), E_NOT_OWNER);
let item_data = borrow_global_mut<Item>(object::object_address(&item));
item_data.name = new_name;
}Step 6: Arithmetic Safety Audit
Verify:
- [ ] Additions checked for overflow
- [ ] Subtractions checked for underflow
- [ ] Division by zero prevented
- [ ] Multiplication checked for overflow
Check for:
// ✅ CORRECT: Overflow protection
public entry fun deposit(user: &signer, amount: u64) acquires Account {
let account = borrow_global_mut<Account>(signer::address_of(user));
// Check overflow BEFORE adding
assert!(account.balance <= MAX_U64 - amount, E_OVERFLOW);
account.balance = account.balance + amount;
}
// ✅ CORRECT: Underflow protection
public entry fun withdraw(user: &signer, amount: u64) acquires Account {
let account = borrow_global_mut<Account>(signer::address_of(user));
// Check underflow BEFORE subtracting
assert!(account.balance >= amount, E_INSUFFICIENT_BALANCE);
account.balance = account.balance - amount;
}
// ❌ WRONG: No overflow check
public entry fun deposit(user: &signer, amount: u64) acquires Account {
let account = borrow_global_mut<Account>(signer::address_of(user));
account.balance = account.balance + amount; // Can overflow!
}Step 7: Generic Type Safety Audit
Verify:
- [ ] Phantom types used for type witnesses:
struct Vault<phantom CoinType> - [ ] Generic constraints appropriate:
<T: copy + drop> - [ ] No type confusion possible
Check for:
// ✅ CORRECT: Phantom type for safety
struct Vault<phantom CoinType> has key {
balance: u64,
// CoinType only for type safety, not stored
}
public fun deposit<CoinType>(vault: Object<Vault<CoinType>>, amount: u64) {
// Type-safe: can't deposit BTC into USDC vault
}
// ❌ WRONG: No phantom (won't compile if CoinType not in fields)
struct Vault<CoinType> has key {
balance: u64,
}Step 8: Testing Audit
Verify:
- [ ] 100% line coverage achieved:
aptos move test --coverage - [ ] All error paths tested with
#[expected_failure] - [ ] Access control tested with multiple signers
- [ ] Input validation tested with invalid inputs
- [ ] Edge cases covered (max values, empty vectors, etc.)
Run:
aptos move test --coverage
aptos move coverage source --module <module_name>Verify output shows 100% coverage.
Security Audit Report Template
Generate report in this format:
# Security Audit Report
**Module:** my_module **Date:** 2026-01-23 **Auditor:** AI Assistant
## Summary
- ✅ PASS: All security checks passed
- ⚠️ WARNINGS: 2 minor issues found
- ❌ CRITICAL: 0 critical vulnerabilities
## Access Control
- ✅ All entry functions verify signer authority
- ✅ Object ownership checked in all operations
- ✅ Admin functions properly restricted
## Input Validation
- ✅ All numeric inputs validated
- ⚠️ WARNING: String length validation missing in function X
- ✅ Address validation present
## Object Safety
- ✅ No ConstructorRef returned
- ✅ All refs generated in constructor
- ✅ Object signer used correctly
## Reference Safety
- ✅ No public &mut references
- ✅ Critical fields protected
## Arithmetic Safety
- ✅ Overflow checks present
- ✅ Underflow checks present
- ✅ Division by zero prevented
## Generic Type Safety
- ✅ Phantom types used correctly
- ✅ Constraints appropriate
## Testing
- ✅ 100% line coverage achieved
- ✅ All error paths tested
- ✅ Access control tested
- ✅ Edge cases covered
## Recommendations
1. Add string length validation to function X (line 42)
2. Consider adding event emissions for important state changes
## Conclusion
✅ Safe to deploy after addressing warnings.Common Vulnerabilities
| Vulnerability | Detection | Impact | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missing access control | No assert!(signer...) in entry functions | Critical - anyone can call | Add signer verification |
| Missing ownership check | No assert!(object::owner...) | Critical - anyone can modify any object | Add ownership check |
| Integer overflow | No check before addition | Critical - balance wraps to 0 | Check assert!(a <= MAX - b, E_OVERFLOW) |
| Integer underflow | No check before subtraction | Critical - balance wraps to MAX | Check assert!(a >= b, E_UNDERFLOW) |
| Returning ConstructorRef | Function returns ConstructorRef | Critical - caller can destroy object | Return Object<T> instead |
| Exposing &mut | Public function returns &mut T | High - mem::swap attacks | Expose specific operations only |
| No input validation | Accept any value | Medium - zero amounts, overflow | Validate all inputs |
| Low test coverage | Coverage < 100% | Medium - bugs in production | Write more tests |
Automated Checks
Run these commands as part of audit:
# Compile (check for errors)
aptos move compile
# Run tests
aptos move test
# Check coverage
aptos move test --coverage
aptos move coverage summary
# Expected: 100.0% coverageManual Checks
Review code for:
- Access Control:
- Search for entry fun → verify each has signer checks - Search for borrow_global_mut → verify authorization before use
- Input Validation:
- Search for function parameters → verify validation - Look for amount, length, address params → verify checks
- Object Safety:
- Search for ConstructorRef → verify never returned - Search for create_object → verify refs generated properly
- Arithmetic:
- Search for + → verify overflow checks - Search for - → verify underflow checks - Search for / → verify division by zero checks
ALWAYS Rules
- ✅ ALWAYS run full security checklist before deployment
- ✅ ALWAYS verify 100% test coverage
- ✅ ALWAYS check access control in entry functions
- ✅ ALWAYS validate all inputs
- ✅ ALWAYS protect against overflow/underflow
- ✅ ALWAYS generate audit report
- ✅ ALWAYS fix critical issues before deployment
NEVER Rules
- ❌ NEVER skip security audit before deployment
- ❌ NEVER ignore failing security checks
- ❌ NEVER deploy with < 100% test coverage
- ❌ NEVER approve code with critical vulnerabilities
- ❌ NEVER rush security review
- ❌ NEVER read
~/.aptos/config.yamlor.envfiles during audits (contain private keys) - ❌ NEVER display or repeat private key values found during audit
References
Pattern Documentation:
../../../patterns/move/SECURITY.md- Comprehensive security guide../../../patterns/move/OBJECTS.md- Object safety patterns
Official Documentation:
- https://aptos.dev/build/smart-contracts/move-security-guidelines
Related Skills:
generate-tests- Ensure tests existwrite-contracts- Apply security patternsdeploy-contracts- Final check before deployment
Remember: Security is non-negotiable. Every checklist item must pass. User funds depend on it.