This document outlines the security guidelines for developers contributing to the Web3 Student Lab project. Ensuring the security of our codebase, user data, and smart contracts is a top priority.

• Never Commit Secrets: Do not commit API keys, passwords, or other secrets to the repository.
• Use Environment Variables: Store sensitive configuration in a .env file and use a package like dotenv to load them.
• .gitignore: Ensure that .env and other files containing secrets are included in the .gitignore file.
• Secret Scanning: We use GitHub's secret scanning to detect accidentally committed secrets. If a secret is leaked, rotate it immediately.

• Private Keys: Never share or commit private keys. Use hardware wallets or secure vault services for managing keys in production.
• User Data: Minimize the collection of personal data. Encrypt sensitive user information at rest and in transit.
• Blockchain Data: Remember that data stored on-chain is public. Do not store sensitive information directly on the blockchain unless it is encrypted.

• Input Validation: Always validate and sanitize user input to prevent common vulnerabilities like XSS and Injection.
• Dependency Management: Regularly update dependencies and use tools like npm audit or snyk to check for known vulnerabilities.
• Principle of Least Privilege: Grant only the minimum necessary permissions to services and users.

• Reentrancy Protection: Use ReentrancyGuard or the checks-effects-interactions pattern.
• Integer Overflows: Use Solidity 0.8+ or SafeMath for older versions.
• Access Control: Use Ownable or AccessControl to restrict sensitive functions.
• Audit: High-stakes contracts should undergo a professional security audit before deployment.

For information on how to report vulnerabilities or see our security advisories, please refer to our GitHub Security Policy.

Last Updated: 2026-03-24