Wormhole Foundation Awards Core Contributor Grant to Asymmetric Research for Platform Security

At Wormhole Foundation, we envision a future built on open, decentralized, and secure Web3 technology. In pursuit of this vision, we are proud to announce a significant milestone: awarding a grant to Asymmetric Research (AR), enabling them to join as an official core contributor to the Wormhole ecosystem. This grant marks a leap forward in our commitment to a highly secure interoperability platform.

Who is Asymmetric Research?

Asymmetric Research (“AR”) is a boutique security venture deeply invested in fortifying the security of interoperability protocols, L1/L2 blockchains and DeFi protocols. Their expertise and dedication have been instrumental in averting potential losses exceeding $5 billion in the crypto landscape. 

With a specific foundation in multichain, AR's expertise spans the near 40 chains connected through Wormhole, showcasing their unparalleled ability to provide top-tier security review and assurance services. Their comprehensive experience in blockchain validation services and securing validator environments across various runtimes, including EVM, SVM, Cosmos, and others, makes them an invaluable asset to Wormhole and its validators (Guardians).

The Team Behind Asymmetric Research

AR is led by Co-founder and CEO Jonathan Claudius, a cybersecurity veteran with over two decades of experience. As the former Chief Security Officer at Jump Crypto, he built a world-class Web3 security team in his first 18 months, which ultimately led to the formation of Asymmetric Research. Felix Wilhelm, the Co-founder and CTO, is a distinguished security expert. Formerly a Security Researcher at Google Project Zero and Jump Crypto, his expertise in identifying and responsibly disclosing critical Web3 protocol vulnerabilities has prevented potential losses of $5B+ in digital assets. The rest of the AR team brings together a wealth of security expertise in a number of domains, united by their unwavering commitment to trust, integrity, and professionalism.

Asymmetric Research’s Role in Enhancing Wormhole

Having been a core contributor to the Wormhole Protocol for two years, AR's involvement has only recently been unveiled. Their significant contributions to the Wormhole Security Contributors group have been pivotal in steering the project through its challenges and triumphs. AR's continued involvement will focus on elevating the entire Wormhole Security program, encompassing areas such as Security Engineering, Incident Response, Forensics, Audits, Monitoring, Vulnerability Management, and the Bug Bounty Program.

A Partnership for a Safer Web3 Future

At the Wormhole Foundation, we are immensely grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Asymmetric Research. Their expertise in navigating the complex domain of blockchain interoperability is not just impressive, but essential for scaling Wormhole safely. As we embark on this journey with AR, we are confident in our combined ability to enhance the security and robustness of Web3 infrastructure.

About Wormhole Foundation

The Wormhole Foundation is the steward of Wormhole, the leading interoperability platform powering multichain applications and bridges. Our mission is to empower passionate people in the research and development of blockchain interoperability technologies. Through grants, research, and ecosystem programs, we support teams in building secure, open-source, and decentralized products within the Wormhole ecosystem.

Stay updated with our mission by following us on Twitter or contact us at [email protected].