The Security Challenge We All Face
Today, innovation often outpaces security, whether we're dealing with traditional Web2 infrastructures or emerging Web3 technologies. Smart contracts powering DeFi protocols and decentralized applications create tremendous value, but they're only as strong as their underlying code. Likewise, vulnerabilities in Web2 systems continue to result in millions in lost funds, eroded trust, and delayed progress across the entire digital ecosystem.
Despite these high stakes, developers, security professionals, and organizational stakeholders across both Web2 and Web3 have worked without a common playbook. Teams reinvent security approaches with each project, auditors lack consistent standards to measure against, and newcomers face a daunting learning curve filled with potential pitfalls.
SEAL Frameworks address this challenge by creating common ground where security knowledge can be continuously shared, tested, and improved.
SEAL Frameworks: Security Standards for Everyone
SEAL Frameworks is a community-driven hub of security standards and resources designed to equip builders with tools to secure protocols before problems emerge. These frameworks aren't rigid rulebooks. They're flexible, modular starting points created through collaboration between auditors, developers, and security researchers. Think of them as open-source security playbooks that will evolve as our community learns and grows together.
Why We Need Shared Frameworks
Web3's greatest strength — its permissionless, decentralized nature — creates unique security challenges. Without shared standards:
- Cross-functional teams — from DevOps and infrastructure to compliance and incident response — waste time reinventing best practices instead of leveraging proven solutions
- Auditors struggle to apply consistent criteria when evaluating diverse, rapidly evolving projects
- Newcomers across all roles face unnecessarily steep learning curves without a unified blueprint
- Risks accumulate at multiple layers — code, infrastructure, operations, and beyond — leaving the entire ecosystem more susceptible to attacks
What Makes SEAL Frameworks Different?
- Built by the community, for the community: These frameworks represent collective wisdom from practitioners across the ecosystem—no gatekeeping, just shared learning
- Battle-tested in real environments: These aren't theoretical guidelines. Active protocols and auditors pilot them and provide ongoing feedback
- Living documents that evolve: As threats shift and new challenges emerge, the frameworks adapt through iterative community input
- Completely open access: Free to use, fork, and customize for your specific needs—because security thrives on transparency
Who These Frameworks Serve
- Developers integrating secure coding and deployment practices from the outset
- Auditors applying consistent baselines when reviewing a spectrum of projects
- Project founders weaving security considerations into business strategy
- Infrastructure and operations teams ensuring resilient, well-monitored environments
- Compliance, risk, and governance professionals aligning projects with regulatory standards and organizational policies
- Incident response teams proactively preparing for and containing breaches
- Community and marketing managers safeguarding social channels and user trust
- Newcomers seeking a structured, comprehensive way to approach security
- Seasoned experts aiming to refine best practices and contribute knowledge back to the broader ecosystem
How to Get Involved
Security isn't a solo effort. Here's how you can contribute:
- Explore our initial collection of frameworks at frameworks.securityalliance.org
- Follow Security Alliance updates on X/Twitter and join our Discord
- Use these frameworks in your projects and provide feedback through Discord or publicly via GitHub Issues
- Become a framework steward through our "Adopt a Framework" campaign. Check out this post for details on how it works.
- To understand how to contribute directly, go to Contributing.
The future of Web3 doesn't have to be defined by drainers and breaches. Together, we can build a more resilient ecosystem — one framework, contributor, and project at a time.
Coming Soon
We're launching with several foundational frameworks that address critical security challenges:
- Community Management Framework: Strategies for coordinating decentralized contributors, aligning incentives, and fostering trust without compromising security
- Security Awareness Framework: A high-level guide to help individuals and organizations understand their threat landscape, recognize risk signals, and create a security-aware mindset.
And we’re already developing new frameworks that will be available soon:
- Operational Security Guidelines: Best practices for securing day-to-day workflows, access controls, and infrastructure in fast-moving environments
- Incident Response Playbook: Step-by-step guidance for detection, communication, and mitigation when threats emerge
In the coming weeks, we'll publish detailed explorations of new frameworks on our blog, breaking down their purpose, structure, and practical applications.
