In a captivating presentation as part of the BIG ERA Chair project, Christof Ferreira Torres, a Postdoctoral Researcher from ETH Zurich, shared insights into the world of decentralised finance (DeFi) and blockchain security at the Wednesdays@DEI Talks held at Instituto Superior Técnico on November 22.
Torres, associated with ETH Zurich’s Secure & Trustworthy Systems Group, discussed blockchain technology, focusing on the critical role that smart contracts play in decentralised financial systems. His talk, centred on “Building Secure Decentralized Financial Systems,” outlined smart contracts’ vulnerabilities, drawing parallels with traditional programs susceptible to programming errors and malicious attacks.
Highlighting the pivotal role of smart contracts as the backbone of DeFi systems, Torres emphasised, “Similar to traditional programs, smart contracts are susceptible to programming errors and malicious attacks, making it crucial to address vulnerabilities in their design and execution.”
The talk explored notable attacks on smart contracts and the staggering losses incurred due to these vulnerabilities. Torres showcased the evolution of techniques for detecting vulnerabilities, including symbolic execution and data flow analysis, and their application in enhancing the security of smart contracts.
Christof Ferreira Torres’s Background
Christof Ferreira Torres holds a joint PhD in computer science from the University of Luxembourg and the Technical University of Munich. His research on the security and privacy of distributed ledgers earned him the Excellent Doctoral Thesis award from the University of Luxembourg and Ripple’s Impact award for his groundbreaking work on the security of smart contracts. Before joining ETH Zurich, Torres contributed as a security researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security (AISEC) near Munich, Germany, showcasing his commitment to advancing the field of cybersecurity.
The BIG ERA Chair project remains committed to providing a platform for experts like Torres to share their expertise, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange in blockchain technology and decentralised finance.