A showdown between Nirlin and Bunzz Audit shed light on the pros and cons of manual audits versus AI-assisted audits in the realm of Web3 security. These platforms play a crucial role in ensuring the reliability of smart contracts, which are digital agreements that execute themselves. By pinpointing vulnerabilities and mitigating potential risks, these audit platforms enhance security measures. Some platforms leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline their auditing procedures, significantly speeding up the process and expanding the scope of audits. However, the reliance on AI raises concerns about missing subtle yet critical vulnerabilities that a human auditor could catch.
This delicate balance between AI efficiency and human expertise was put to the test in an audit challenge between Nirlin and Bunzz Audit, an AI-assisted auditing platform. The challenge, aptly named the “Audit Challenge,” sparked conversations about the future role of AI in smart contract security.
The challenge began when Bunzz Audit announced the launch of an AI-assisted audit service on social media. Nirlin, an experienced smart contract auditor, expressed doubts about the effectiveness of AI in such audits. This led to a public challenge from Nirlin to Bunzz Audit, igniting a viral debate on social media.
Bunzz Audit accepted the challenge, and the contest caught the attention of 0xDjango, a judge from the developer competition platform Code4rena, who agreed to oversee the challenge.
For the challenge, Nirlin selected the smart contract to be audited. While Nirlin had audited these contracts previously as part of routine duties, Bunzz Audit had only two hours to complete its analysis. Despite this time gap, both approaches provided valuable insights.
The results of the challenge revealed a clear distinction: Bunzz Audit identified 43 vulnerabilities, showcasing its ability to scan for a broad range of potential issues. On the other hand, Nirlin’s manual audit uncovered critical vulnerabilities that could pose significant risks to the smart contract, which Bunzz Audit had missed. In terms of risk mitigation, Nirlin’s report offered more actionable insights.
Following the contest, Bunzz Audit acknowledged that there is no one-size-fits-all audit report and emphasized the importance of choosing the right service based on specific needs. For those seeking a comprehensive vulnerability scan, Bunzz Audit might be the preferred choice. However, for pinpointing critical risks, a human auditor like Nirlin could be invaluable.
In response to the challenge, Bunzz Audit invested in further research and development, leading to a notable update to its AI engine. The company announced that it successfully identified the vulnerabilities missed during the challenge, showcasing the learning capabilities of its technology. Despite Nirlin winning the initial contest, Bunzz Audit’s progress suggests a promising future for AI-assisted audits.
Bunzz Audit also revealed the use of OpenAI’s GPT-4o language model, a sophisticated AI tool that significantly boosted processing speed and accuracy. This advancement underscores the potential of AI-assisted audits in enhancing data analysis capabilities.
Looking ahead, Bunzz Audit plans to introduce innovative security services that leverage the advantages of AI over human auditing limitations. The future of Web3 security seems bright, with a potential collaboration between human expertise and the evolving power of artificial intelligence. As AI continues to advance, it will be fascinating to witness how this partnership shapes the future of Web3 security.