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OWASP Smart Contract
Top 10 2026

Our research with the OWASP Foundation helped shape the first-ever Smart Contract Top 10. See the risks every Web3 project faces, and check if you're exposed.

About the Initiative

The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) has been the gold standard for web security since 2001. Their Top 10 lists have guided millions of developers in building secure applications.

As Web3 emerged, CredShields recognized the need to extend OWASP's legacy to smart contracts and blockchain technology. Through our SolidityScan platform and Web3HackHub incident database, we've analyzed thousands of contracts and security breaches.

Our comprehensive data on smart contract vulnerabilities and real-world exploits became a key input for the OWASP Smart Contract Top 10, helping establish the first industry-standard security framework for Web3.

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Research Data Sources

SolidityScan Platform

SolidityScan Platform:

Automated security analysis of smart contracts

50,000+ Contracts Analyzed
SolidityScan Platform

Web3HackHub Database:

Comprehensive incident tracking and analysis

1,200+ Security Incidents Tracked
SolidityScan Platform

Manual Audit Reports:

Expert security assessments and findings

500+ Professional Audits

OWASP Smart Contract Top 10 2026

The most critical security risks facing smart contracts and Web3 applications in 2026.

SC01:2026 Access Control Vulnerabilities

Unauthorized access to privileged functions or critical protocol state.

Real-world Example Balancer V2 (November 2025, ~$128M loss)
Critical

SC02:2026 Business Logic Vulnerabilities

Flawed protocol logic enabling economic exploits despite correct checks

Real-world Example Abracadabra (March 2025, $12.9M loss)
Critical

SC03:2026 Price Oracle Manipulation

Manipulable oracles skew prices enabling undercollateralized exploits

Real-world Example NGP Token (September 2025, ~$2M loss)
High

SC04:2026 Flash Loan–Facilitated Attacks

Flash loans amplify bugs into large single-transaction drains.

Real-world Example Bunni (September 2025, $8.4M loss)
High

SC05:2026 Lack of Input Validation

Insufficient input validation allows unsafe parameters into core logic.

Real-world Example Cetus (May 2025, $223M loss)
High

SC06:2026 Unchecked External Calls

Unchecked external calls cause reentrancy or inconsistent state.

Real-world Example GMX (July 2025, $42M loss)
Medium

SC07:2026 Arithmetic Errors

Math and rounding bugs leak value through repeated exploitation.

Real-world Example zkLend (February 2025, $9.5M loss)
Medium

SC08:2026 Reentrancy Attack

External callbacks reenter functions before state updates complete.

Real-world Example GMX (July 2025, $42M loss)
Medium

SC09:2026 Integer Overflow and Underflow

Overflow or underflow breaks invariants and accounting.

Real-world Example Cetus (May 2025, $223M loss)
Low

SC10:2026 Proxy & Upgradeability Vulnerabilities

Weak proxy or upgrade controls allow takeover or reinitialization.

Real-world Example Kinto Protocol (July 2025, $1.55M loss)
Low

How Our Data Informed OWASP

At CredShields, thousands of contracts are scanned via SolidityScan and monitored through Web3HackHub. Our comprehensive reports were key inputs for the OWASP Smart Contract Top 10.

$3,670,000,000 Lost in 2025

~3.67 Billion USD lost across 134 security incidents. Here's the breakdown
by vulnerability type:

Access Control Vulnerabilities

The most critical vulnerability, responsible for the majority of losses.

$1,578,100,000
43%
Pie Chart
Access Control / Privileged Abuse
$1.578 billion
43%
Infrastructure / Hot Wallets
$1.468 billion
40%
Logic & Accounting Errors
$440.4 million
12%
User-Layer / Phishing
$146.8 million
4%
Other Vulnerabilities
$40.37 million
1%
<

Why These Risks Matter

Web & Mobile App Threat Modeling

Instant & Irreversible

Unlike Web2, exploits in smart contracts are instant, irreversible, and on-chain. Once funds are drained, they're gone forever.

Web & Mobile App Threat Modeling

Enterprise Adoption

With Web3 adoption by enterprises and regulators rising, compliance with security standards is no longer optional.

Web & Mobile App Threat Modeling

Prevention is Key

Over $1.4B was lost to Web3 hacks in 2024, most linked to these exact categories. Prevention is the only protection.

Check If You're Exposed

Upload your contract and get an instant report from SolidityScan. You'll see if you're exposed to any of the OWASP Smart Contract Top 10 risks.

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Media Coverage

Industry recognition of our contribution to Web3 security standards.

TechCrunch

CredShields helps establish first OWASP standard for smart contracts"

CoinDesk

OWASP Smart Contract Top 10 sets new security benchmark"

The Block

Industry collaboration brings Web2 security standards to Web3"

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the OWASP Smart Contract Top 10?

The OWASP Smart Contract Top 10 is a risk prioritization framework that identifies the most prevalent and high-impact vulnerability classes observed in production smart contracts. It translates real incident data, audit learnings, and practitioner feedback into an actionable reference for developers, auditors, and security teams.

How is this different from traditional OWASP Top 10?

The traditional OWASP Top 10 focuses on web application security risks such as injection and broken authentication. The Smart Contract Top 10 addresses execution-layer risks unique to blockchain systems, including:
  • Privileged role abuse
  • Arbitrary call paths
  • Flash-loan driven manipulation
  • Upgradeability risks
  • Oracle dependencies
It reflects how decentralized systems fail, not how web servers fail.

Who should use the Smart Contract Top 10?

It is designed for:
  • Smart contract developers
  • Security auditors
  • Protocol architects
  • Exchanges & custodians
  • Web3 security product builders
  • Enterprise blockchain teams
If your system can move value without human intervention, this framework is relevant.

Is the Smart Contract Top 10 based on theory or real incidents?

It is empirically grounded. The categories are derived from:
  • Documented security incidents
  • Onchain exploit patterns
  • Audit findings
  • Practitioner surveys
  • Post-mortem analysis of high-profile breaches

Does the Top 10 replace a full security audit?

No. The Smart Contract Top 10 is an awareness and prioritization layer, not a substitute for:
  • Manual audits
  • Formal verification
  • Runtime monitoring
  • Secure SDLC processes
It helps teams ask better questions earlier in the lifecycle.

How should development teams use it in practice?

It can be embedded into:
  • Threat modeling exercises
  • Secure coding checklists
  • Pre-deployment review gates
  • CI/CD static analysis baselines
  • Auditor scoping discussions
Many teams map their controls against each category to ensure systematic coverage.

Is this only for DeFi protocols?

No. While DeFi incidents heavily inform the dataset, the risk classes apply to:
  • Token contracts
  • NFT platforms
  • DAO governance systems
  • Bridges and cross-chain systems
  • RWA tokenization platforms
  • Institutional custody systems
Any smart contract that manages value inherits systemic risk.

Can security tools map to the Top 10?

Yes. Static analyzers, AI-based scanners, fuzzers, and manual review methodologies can map findings to the Top 10 categories. This enables:
  • Standardized reporting
  • Risk scoring alignment
  • Better communication with stakeholders
  • Board-level risk articulation

Don't Let Your Project Become the Next Headline

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