Testing is a broad term for the process of identifying vulnerabilities in a systematic manner. In any security-conscious development lifecycle, testing is a non-negotiable. With the web3 industry still maturing, the current issue is that many projects don’t test enough, or worse, don’t test at all. This increases the risk of undetected vulnerabilities for a project, and dilutes any additional security engagements they may undergo. In this article, we will explore different forms of testing and how the adoption of these processes can benefit individual projects and the ecosystem as a whole.

Forms of Testing

Unit testing

Unit testing works with pre-determined variables in a controlled environment to ensure individual components function as expected. For web3 projects, this type of test can be applied against the full stack, including smart contracts.

End-to-end (E2E) testing

E2E testing involves testing the entire application, including its frontend interfaces, backend APIs, and smart contracts from the perspective of a user. In traditional software development, E2E testing is important, but in web3, it’s even more necessary due to the combination of the permissionless nature of the blockchain, the immutability of smart contracts, and the increased potential for financial loss. E2E tests are one of the best ways to simulate real-world scenarios and safeguard projects against malicious behavior.

Property-based testing

Property-based testing involves automatically generating diverse test inputs to evaluate whether the code satisfies specified properties or invariants. Fuzzing is a type of property-based testing, where a wide range of random, invalid, or unexpected data is used as inputs to verify the behavior of a piece of code. This category of testing is particularly effective in discovering errors in complex systems by systematically exploring diverse inputs, generating test cases, and consequently detecting unexpected behavior more broadly.

Why testing results in a more secure end product

Each type of testing has its own benefits and provides the most comprehensive coverage for a project when combined with other security measures. When multiple testing approaches are implemented, this achieves what is known as a ‘high level of test coverage’.

A project with a high level of test coverage can expect:

Enhanced security posture

Testing in any respect offers a systematic approach to vulnerability detection. This reduces the need for exhaustive manual efforts from project development teams, and also minimizes the potential for human error in detecting vulnerabilities. It goes without saying that vulnerabilities detected prior to code being deployed means that assets are protected in real-world instances.

Cost-efficiency in ongoing security efforts

Testing increases the cost-efficiency of security efforts for projects in multiple ways. Test suites address low-hanging fruit vulnerabilities, which enables security researchers like those at Spearbit to concentrate on far more critical issues when conducting a security review. The early detection of issues via testing also reduces any expenses linked with remediation during later stages of the development lifecycle. In addition, through testing, projects have additional assurance that their codebase will remain stable and functional as it evolves, minimizing tech debt, and consequently maximizing their internal development resources.

Reusable deliverables

Tests serve as living documentation for the codebase in question, helping developers understand how different parts of the code are intended to behave. This makes shipping iterations easier, as you know what is covered and can confirm those areas are indeed covered when modifying code at any time.

How Spearbit can assist in achieving a high level of test coverage for your project

At Spearbit, we work with our distributed network of industry-leading security researchers to utilize those that specialize in testing.

When employed to achieve a high level of test coverage for projects, our security researchers can handle it all for you. This can include everything from developing testing suites, implementing tests, providing Proof-of-Concept (PoC) development, and compiling detailed final reports. With these experts conducting a critical component of a comprehensive security strategy for you, your internal resources are able to do what they do best: continue building your project.

Conclusion

Testing is an indispensable measure for any project, providing a way to ensure robustness and resilience against threats, and ensuring any additional security efforts are as efficient as possible. In addition, the more individual projects that implement high levels of test coverage, the more the web3 ecosystem is strengthened. When the instances of hacks are reduced, the focus returns to the beneficial use cases of blockchain technology. Trust increases, and correspondingly, the likelihood of mass adoption.

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