Orbs have been a driving force behind the growing success of The Open Network. Several tools have been launched on the blockchain throughout 2022, with the TON Verifier being the latest addition. It is a powerful tool to analyze and verify intelligent contract codes, although users still have more due diligence to do.
Orbs continues its TON mission
The Orbs team has developed various solutions for The Open network. Earlier in 2022, they release Minter, a tool to deploy alt tokens on the TON blockchain. That process has attracted the attention of thousands of developers, all of whom see merit in cresting native ecosystem tokens on the efficient, quick, and scalable technology stack. Creating a new token doesn’t automatically give it value, but much experimentation is going on to enhance the ecosystem’s robustness.
In addition to Minter, Orbs recently unveiled the TON Verifier. It is a separate tool to help users verify smart contract source code integrity. For instance, they can take a contract’s code and verify it is the same for on-chain TON addresses. It may seem like a foregone conclusion the code will match, but that isn’t always the case. Tools like these will help eliminate nefarious smart contracts and developers.
However, to do so, users must still analyze the code and its functions even if it matches on-chain bytecode. The TON Verifier will compile the code, but it cannot distinguish “right” from “wrong”. More specifically, it doesn’t analyze the intent of these functions or their creator. Instead, it is merely a code-focused observation and analysis. Users can still flag suspicious code to alert others, which should help avoid mishaps.
One crucial aspect of the TON Verifier is how it doesn’t require a centralized backend. While it can be used with the Orbs-run backend, users can set up dedicated and local verifiers. Those can be added to the verifier registry and utilize their own backend. In addition, users can pin contract sources and make copies via IPFS, with migration to TON storage. Decentralization remains essential in the blockchain world, and Orbs also ensures that it applies to the TON Verifier.
The importance of verified code
Although smart contracts are public for anyone to see, verifying the code’s authenticity remains crucial. The code uploaded by a developer and the one deployed on the blockchain can be different. It rarely happens, but those with nefarious intent will try any method to trick users and investors.
Moreover, the decentralized world is trustless, but it isn’t always easy to trust code written by another human. The TON Verifier helps ensure everything checks out, although it remains advised to analyze the code afterward.
Smart contracts are a powerful tool in crypto and blockchain. They provide access to new products, services, and protocols. However, they are also responsible for transactions and financial balances. Therefore, ensuring everything checks out without trusting the developer is mandatory.
Otherwise, nothing would prevent a malicious developer from changing the on-chain code completely or introducing backdoors to cause havoc. It is all part of the broader due diligence process all users should employ when dealing with smart contracts.
