Need Help Managing Your Smart Contract Audit?
Get expert guidance on preparing for and managing a smart contract audit.
Complete Guide
Quick Answer
Managing a smart contract audit requires: Pre-audit preparation (2 weeks — code freeze, 95%+ test coverage, run Slither/Mythril, provide specification), During audit (be available within 4 hours, do not modify code), Receiving findings (triage by severity: Critical/High must be fixed before deploy), Remediation documentation, Re-audit (review only remediated findings), and Final report publication. Audit duration: 1-10 weeks depending on contract complexity.
Pre-Audit Preparation (2 Weeks Before Audit Start)
Code freeze: On the agreed start date, no code changes. The audit firm reviews a specific commit. Changes after audit start require re-audit scope adjustments.
Test suite completion: 95%+ line coverage before handing off to the auditor. An auditor reviewing 60%-covered code is doing your quality work for premium rates.
Automated analysis: Run Slither and Mythril. Fix all High findings. Document all decisions to accept remaining findings and your rationale.
Specification document: Provide the written specification to the auditor. The auditor checks the code against the specification — without it, they cannot identify logic errors (code that compiles but does wrong thing).
Preparation package: Specification + test coverage report + automated analysis results + README + deployment documentation.
During the Audit
Be available: Auditors have questions. Response time within 4 business hours. Slow responses extend the audit and increase cost.
Schedule a kickoff call: Walk the auditor through the architecture before they begin reading code. 1 hour invested here saves multiple iterations of clarification questions.
Do not modify code: Unless the auditor identifies a Critical finding that you mutually agree requires immediate fix and re-audit scope.
Receiving the Findings Report
Severity classifications: Critical (deploy never), High (deploy never without fix), Medium (fix before or immediately after deploy), Low (fix in next cycle), Informational (no immediate action required but noted).
For each Critical and High finding: Understand the attack scenario in plain English. Confirm your understanding with the auditor before implementing the fix. Wrong fixes create new vulnerabilities.
Remediation documentation: For each finding, document: what was changed, why, and which code line addresses the finding. Submit to the auditor for re-review.
Re-Audit
The auditor reviews only the remediated findings (not the entire codebase again — unless significant code changes were made). Confirms that each fix correctly addresses the finding and does not introduce new issues.
Final Report Publication
Publish the final audit report. This is non-negotiable for any DeFi or NFT protocol — community trust requires independent verification. Most audit firms maintain a public report database; ensure your report is listed.