Least Authority

Least Authority exists to make security and privacy practical for real products and communities. Founded in 2011 with a mission to build freedom-compatible technologies, the organization has focused on decentralized systems (often referred to as Web3) since its early years, initiating security auditing work in 2014. Over time, the company has delivered more than 160 published audits spanning smart contracts, L1/L2 protocols, cross-chain bridges, staking and custody systems, and privacy-preserving applications. Its methodology blends careful manual analysis with adversarial thinking, dependency review, and structured verification steps to help clients ship safer software.

The firm offers three primary engagement types that map cleanly to typical product lifecycles. First, Security Audits—best suited when an implementation is feature-complete or approaching critical milestones (e.g., mainnet launches, major upgrades)—provide an in-depth investigation of vulnerabilities and remediation paths. Second, Limited Security Evaluations deliver focused 1–3 day assessments for self-contained systems (e.g., authentication flows, encryption schemes) or third-party due diligence. Third, Security-by-Design Consulting embeds security thinking earlier—aligning architecture, roadmaps, and development processes to reduce risk and save future remediation costs. This spectrum lets teams choose the right intervention at the right time, from design to production.

Beyond consulting, Least Authority invests in privacy-enhancing technology and community efforts. Products like PrivateStorage and mechanisms such as ZKAPs (zero-knowledge access passes) put privacy and data minimization into users’ hands, while research and educational projects—e.g., the MoonMath Manual to zk-SNARKs—demystify zero-knowledge cryptography for developers and advocates. The organization collaborates with NGOs and diverse communities to promote secure systems and make privacy-protecting technology accessible where it’s needed most.

The firm’s process is transparent and collaborative. A typical engagement flows from free initial consultation and scoping to proposal, code review, an Initial Audit Report (for internal remediation), response and remediation support, verification of fixes, and a Final Audit Report suitable for publication. This cadence ensures issues are not just found—but understood, prioritized, and resolved. Relationships with communities like Bugcrowd and memberships such as the German Blockchain Bundesverband and SUSS NiFT’s Blockchain Security Alliance further connect audits to a wider security ecosystem.

In the security landscape, clients often compare providers such as Trail of Bits, OpenZeppelin, Quantstamp, NCC Group, Halborn, Sigma Prime, and ConsenSys Diligence. Least Authority differentiates through its deep commitment to privacy, its long-running focus on zero-knowledge systems, its open-source ethos, and a process designed to support teams from initial design through post-audit verification. For teams building critical infrastructure or user-facing apps, this principled approach reduces risk while accelerating readiness for production. For details or to start a conversation, visit Least Authority.

Least Authority provides comprehensive benefits and features tailored to high-stakes Web3 and privacy projects:

• End-to-End Security Services: From security-by-design consulting to deep security audits and limited evaluations, engagements align with your product’s lifecycle. Least Authority
• Zero-Knowledge Expertise: Auditing and implementing zero-knowledge systems, with practical resources like the MoonMath Manual and ZKAPs.
• Open-Source Commitment: Code and research released under open-source licenses to maximize verifiability and community benefit.
• Privacy-Enhancing Products: Real user tooling such as PrivateStorage and privacy-by-design mechanisms that reduce data exposure.
• Transparent Audit Process: Clear stages—proposal, code review, initial report, remediation, verification, final report—for accountable outcomes.
• Ecosystem Engagement: Collaboration with communities and NGOs to deploy secure systems where they matter most.
• Dependency & Architecture Review: Attention to upstream libraries, supply-chain risk, and distributed architectures.
• Realistic Timeframes & Scope: Options ranging from 1–3 day limited evaluations to multi-week audits for complex systems.

Getting started with Least Authority is straightforward—choose the engagement that fits your stage and align deliverables and timelines early. Begin at Least Authority.

1. Initial Contact & Goals: Outline your system (architecture, threat model, dependencies) and your milestone (e.g., mainnet launch, token-gated release, major upgrade).
2. Share Materials: Provide repositories, build/run instructions, specs, and any prior reviews to enable efficient scoping.
3. Proposal & Scope Lock-In: Agree on focus areas (smart contracts, cryptographic protocols, bridge logic, key management), schedule, and fixed-price terms.
4. Audit or Evaluation Execution: Collaborate during code review; clarify assumptions, env configs, and edge-cases; maintain a stable audit branch.
5. Initial Report & Remediation: Receive findings with Issues and Suggestions; prioritize fixes, document mitigations, and implement patches.
6. Verification & Final Report: Submit diffs for verification; once issues of sufficient impact are addressed, receive a Final Audit Report suitable for publication.
7. Ongoing Security-by-Design: Schedule periodic reviews for major updates, dependency changes, and new features; integrate privacy-by-design for data-sensitive components.