Blockchain Security
This course introduces blockchain security, including a description of how the blockchain works at each level of the blockchain ecosystem. The instructor begins with the building blocks that create the structure of blockchain, the cryptography that it uses for security, and the role of hash functions in the blockchain and how they can be attacked.
Monthly Subscription Starting at AED 99 + VAT
- Level Foundation
- Duration 8 hours
- Course by Infosec
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Offered by
About
This course introduces blockchain security, including a description of how the blockchain works at each level of the blockchain ecosystem. The instructor begins with the building blocks that create the structure of blockchain, the cryptography that it uses for security, and the role of hash functions in the blockchain and how they can be attacked. In the next module, the instructor describes what blockchain consensus is, why it’s needed, its underlying theory (Byzantine Fault Tolerance and Security via Scarcity), some of the common consensus algorithms, and the security issues inherent to each variant. The course progresses with a module that describes how blocks are created, the nodes and network that make up the blockchain ecosystem, and examples of various attacks that can be made on their security. Next the focus is on smart contracts and how their security can be compromised with vulnerabilities created by common programming errors during contract development, including in Ethereum, the most commonly used smart contract platform. Finally, the course wraps up with discussions of distributed ledger architectures that are alternatives to blockchain, second-level blockchain protocols, and advanced cryptography in blockchain.Modules
Fundamentals of blockchain security
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2
Videos
2
Videos
- Welcome to blockchain security!
- Fundamentals of blockchain security
Introduction to blockchain
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3
Videos
3
Videos
- What is the blockchain?
- The promises of blockchain
- Inside the blockchain hype
Structure of the blockchain
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3
Videos
3
Videos
- Structure of the blockchain
- The blocks
- The chains
Public-key cryptography in blockchain
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3
Videos
3
Videos
- What is public-key cryptography?
- How does public-key cryptography work?
- Public-key cryptography in the blockchain
Blockchain security: Public-key cryptography
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4
Videos
4
Videos
- Security assumptions of public-key cryptography
- Poor random number generation
- Lost/stolen private keys
- Quantum computing
Hash functions in blockchain
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4
Videos
4
Videos
- What is a hash function?
- Properties of hash functions
- Hash functions in the blockchain
- Blockchain security hash key functions
Fundamentals of blockchain security recap and quiz
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1
Videos
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Fundamentals of blockchain security quiz
1
Videos
- Fundamentals of blockchain security recap
Consensus algorithm security overview
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1
Videos
1
Videos
- Consensus algorithm security overview
Introduction to blockchain consensus algorithms
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5
Videos
5
Videos
- Why does blockchain need consensus?
- The Byzantine generals problem
- Security via scarcity
- Common blockchain consensus algorithms
- The longest chain rule
Proof of work
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2
Videos
2
Videos
- Introduction to proof of work
- Inside PoW mining
Attacking proof of work
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3
Videos
3
Videos
- Attacking PoW consensus
- The 51% attack
- Denial of service: artificial difficulty increases
Proof of stake
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2
Videos
2
Videos
- Introduction to proof of stake
- Choosing the block creator
Attacking proof of stake
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6
Videos
6
Videos
- Attacking PoS consensus
- XX% attack and the PoS "timebomb"
- Fake stake attacks
- Long-range attacks
- Nothing at stake problem
- Sour milk attack
Consensus algorithm security recap and quiz
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1
Videos
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Consensus algorithm security quiz
1
Videos
- Concensus algorithm security recap
Blockchain in action overview
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1
Videos
1
Videos
- Blockchain in action overview
Nodes and network
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3
Videos
3
Videos
- The blockchain ecosystem
- Inside the node
- How blocks are created
Attacking block creation
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5
Videos
5
Videos
- Attacking block creation
- Denial-of-service attacks
- Frontrunning
- Selfish mining
- SPV mining
Targeting the node
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4
Videos
4
Videos
- Attacking blockchain nodes
- Blockchain software misconfiguration
- Denial of service
- Malicious transactions
Attacking the network
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4
Videos
4
Videos
- Attacking the blockchain network
- Eclipse attack
- Routing attack
- Sybil attack
Blockchain in action recap and quiz
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1
Videos
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Blockchain in action quiz
1
Videos
- Blockchain in action recap
Smart contract security overview
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1
Videos
1
Videos
- Smart contract security overview
What are smart contracts?
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2
Videos
2
Videos
- The world computer
- Smart contracts
General programming vulnerabilities
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4
Videos
4
Videos
- General programming vulnerabilities
- Arithmetic vulnerabilities
- Arithmetic vulnerabilities code example
- Right-to-left control character
Blockchain vulnerabilities
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7
Videos
7
Videos
- Blockchain vulnerabilities
- Access control
- Bad randomness
- Denial of service
- Frontrunning vulnerabilities
- Frontrunning vulnerabilities code example
- Timestamp dependence
Ethereum vulnerabilities
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6
Videos
6
Videos
- Ethereum vulnerabilities
- Denial of service
- Reentrancy
- Reentrancy code example
- Short addresses
- Unchecked return values
Smart contract security recap and quiz
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1
Videos
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Smart contract security quiz
1
Videos
- Smart contract security recap
Beyond the basics of blockchain overview
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1
Videos
1
Videos
- Beyond the basics of blockchain overview
Alternative distributed ledger architectures
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4
Videos
4
Videos
- Alternative distributed ledger architectures
- Introduction to DAGs
- Introduction to block lattices
- Introduction to sidechains
Second-Level protocols
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2
Videos
2
Videos
- Second-level blockchain protocols
- How a state channel works
Advanced cryptography in blockchain
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6
Videos
6
Videos
- Advanced cryptography in blockchain
- Multisignatures
- Zero-knowledge proofs
- Stealth addresses
- Ring signatures
- Commitment schemes
Beyond the basics recap and quiz
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1
Videos
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Beyond the basics of blockchain quiz
1
Videos
- Beyond the basics recap
Blockchain security cumulative quiz
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Blockchain security cumulative quiz
Auto Summary
Discover the essentials of blockchain security in this foundational course led by a Coursera instructor. Covering the blockchain ecosystem, cryptography, consensus algorithms, smart contract vulnerabilities, and advanced cryptography, this comprehensive 480-minute course is perfect for IT and Computer Science enthusiasts. Available through Starter and Professional subscriptions, it’s designed to equip learners with critical blockchain security insights.
Howard Poston