# Scout: Security Analysis Tool
Scout is an extensible open-source tool intended to assist [ink!](https://use.ink/smart-contracts-polkadot/) and [Soroboan](https://stellar.org/soroban) smart contract developers and auditors detect common security issues and deviations from best practices.
This tool will help developers write secure and more robust smart contracts.
Our interest in this project comes from our experience in manual auditing and our usage of comparable tools in other blockchains. To improve coverage and precision, we´ll persist in research efforts on static and dynamic analysis techniques.
## Quick Start
For a quick start, make sure that Cargo is installed on your computer. Then, install Scout dependencies by running the following command:
```bash
cargo install cargo-dylint dylint-link
```
Afterwards, install Scout with the following command:
```bash
cargo install cargo-scout-audit
```
Finally, install additional Rust components required by Scout.
```bash
rustup component add rust-src --toolchain nightly-2023-12-16
```
To run Scout on your project, navigate to the root directory of your smart contract (where the `Cargo.toml` file is) and execute the following command:
```bash
cargo scout-audit
```
For more information on Scout's installation and usage, please refer to Scout's documentation for [ink!](https://github.com/CoinFabrik/scout) or [Soroban](https://github.com/CoinFabrik/scout-soroban).
## Output formats
You can choose the output format that best suit your needs (html or markdown). To specify the desired output run the following command:
```
cargo scout-audit --output-format [html|md]
```
**Example HTML report**
## Scout VS Code extension
Add Scout to your development workspace with Scout's VS Code extension to run Scout automatically upon saving your file.
:warning: To ensure the extension runs properly, make sure that you open the directory containing your smart contract, rather than the entire project. For example, if your smart contracts are located in `myproject/contracts`, and you want to work on the `token` contract while using the Scout VS Code Extension, open `myproject/contracts/token`.
:bulb: Tip: To see the errors highlighted in your code, we recommend installing the [Error Lens Extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=usernamehw.errorlens).
:point_right: Download Scout VS Code from [Visual Studio Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=CoinFabrik.scout-audit).
## Scout GitHub Action
Integrate Scout into your CI/CD pipeline! Automatically run the tool against the targeted smart contracts. This immediate feedback loop allows developers to quickly address any issues before merging the code into the main branch, reducing the risk of introducing bugs or vulnerabilities.
**Scout output as a comment in a pull request**
:point_right: Find Scout GitHub Action in [GitHub Marketplace](https://github.com/marketplace/actions/run-scout-action).
## Tests
To validate our tool, we provide a set of code examples located in the test-cases folder.
In order to run the integration tests, navigate to apps/cargo-scout-audit and run:
```bash
cargo test --all --all-features
```
In order to run the tests for a particular test-case, run the same command on that particular test-case folder (e.g: test-cases/delegate-call/delegate-call-1/vulnerable-example).
## Detectors
Detectors available for Scout are the ones available for Scout in its [ink!](https://github.com/CoinFabrik/scout?tab=readme-ov-file#detectors) and [Soroban](https://github.com/CoinFabrik/scout-soroban?tab=readme-ov-file#detectors) versions.
## Acknowledgements
Scout is an open source vulnerability analyzer developed by [CoinFabrik's](https://www.coinfabrik.com/) Research and Development team.
We received support through grants from both the [Web3 Foundation Grants Program](https://github.com/w3f/Grants-Program/tree/master), the [Aleph Zero Ecosystem Funding Program](https://alephzero.org/ecosystem-funding-program) and the [Stellar Community Fund](https://communityfund.stellar.org).
| Grant Program | Description |
|---------------|-------------|
|  | **Proof of Concept:** We collaborated with the [Laboratory on Foundations and Tools for Software Engineering (LaFHIS)](https://lafhis.dc.uba.ar/) at the [University of Buenos Aires](https://www.uba.ar/internacionales/index.php?lang=en) to establish analysis techniques and tools for our detectors, as well as to create an initial list of vulnerability classes and code examples. [View Grant](https://github.com/CoinFabrik/web3-grant) \| [Application Form](https://github.com/w3f/Grants-Program/blob/master/applications/ScoutCoinFabrik.md).
**Prototype:** We built a functioning prototype using linting detectors built with [Dylint](https://github.com/trailofbits/dylint) and expanded the list of vulnerability classes, detectors, and test cases. [View Prototype](https://coinfabrik.github.io/scout/) \| [Application Form](https://github.com/w3f/Grants-Program/blob/master/applications/ScoutCoinFabrik_2.md). |
|  | We improved the precision and number of detectors for the tool with a multi-phase approach. This included a manual vulnerability analysis of projects within the Aleph Zero ecosystem, comprehensive testing of the tool on leading projects, and refining its detection accuracy. |
|  | We added support for Stellar's smart contract language, Soroban. We included various output formats, such as an HTML report, improved the tool's precision and recall, and added a GitHub action to run the tool with pull requests.|
## About CoinFabrik
We - [CoinFabrik](https://www.coinfabrik.com/) - are a research and development company specialized in Web3, with a strong background in cybersecurity. Founded in 2014, we have worked on over 180 blockchain-related projects, EVM based and also for Solana, Algorand, Stellar and Polkadot. Beyond development, we offer security audits through a dedicated in-house team of senior cybersecurity professionals, currently working on code in Substrate, Solidity, Clarity, Rust, TEAL and Stellar Soroban.
Our team has an academic background in computer science and mathematics, with work experience focused on cybersecurity and software development, including academic publications, patents turned into products, and conference presentations. Furthermore, we have an ongoing collaboration on knowledge transfer and open-source projects with the University of Buenos Aires.
## License
Scout is licensed and distributed under a MIT license. [Contact us](https://www.coinfabrik.com/) if you're looking for an exception to the terms.