W3OS Standard
The Web3 Operational Security (W3OS) Standard is an open-source, community-developed framework specifically designed for Web3 organizations. Unlike generic security frameworks, W3OS addresses the unique operational security challenges faced by Web3 startups, DAOs, exchanges, wallets, and infrastructure projects.
What is W3OS?
W3OS is a comprehensive standard that defines security requirements for organizations operating in Web3, structured as an actionable checklist that allows you to:
Identify Weak Areas Systematically assess your organization's security posture across all operational domains.
Track Improvements Measure compliance and monitor progress as you implement security controls.
Demonstrate Security Maturity Provide stakeholders, investors, and partners with evidence of your security commitment.
Focus on Operational Security Complement code audits by addressing business continuity, user safety, and organizational risks that code audits don't cover.
Why W3OS Matters
Web3 organizations face unique challenges:
Digital Asset Management: Securing wallets, multi-signature schemes, and on-chain operations
Community-Driven Operations: Protecting social channels, governance processes, and public communications
Rapid Development Cycles: Balancing security with fast-paced Web3 development
Supply Chain Attacks: Defending against npm package compromises and dependency vulnerabilities
Individual Targeting: Protecting team members who are high-value targets for wallet theft
Traditional Web2 security frameworks don't adequately address these Web3-specific risks.
Five Security Domains
The W3OS Standard is organized into five comprehensive domains:
Domain 1: Wallet & Multi-Sig Management
Individual wallet security and hardware wallet best practices
Multi-sig configuration and transaction security
Operational security for signing operations
Transaction verification and monitoring
Out-of-band confirmation procedures
Domain 2: Endpoint Security
Dedicated device requirements and procurement
Full disk encryption and access controls
Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
Browser isolation and extension security
Workspace physical security
Network monitoring and firewall configuration
Domain 3: Communications & Social Media
Secure communication channels (Signal, encrypted email)
Social media account protection and admin access control
Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
External party verification procedures
File sharing security and sanitization
Domain 4: DevOps & Infrastructure
Development environment isolation and sandboxing
IDE plugin and extension vetting
Repository security and access controls
CI/CD pipeline security
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) security
Just-in-time (JIT) access control
Smart contract deployment security
Domain 5: General Security
Comprehensive incident response runbooks
Web3-specific disaster scenarios (wallet compromise, on-chain theft, malware infection)
Password management and MFA requirements
Principle of least privilege
Insider threat modeling and mitigation
Break-glass account procedures
Leaked credential monitoring
Phishing simulation and social engineering training
Using W3OS with Sentry
Sentry helps you implement and track W3OS compliance:
Automated Monitoring
Breach Detection: Implements W3OS requirement SP-GS-018 (Leaked Credential Monitoring)
Endpoint Protection: Fulfills W3OS Domain 2 requirements for endpoint monitoring and EDR
Domain Security: Addresses infrastructure monitoring requirements from Domain 4
GitHub Activity: Implements repository security monitoring from DevOps domain
Compliance Tracking
Navigate to the Guides section in Sentry to:
View W3OS requirements mapped to Sentry features
Track your organization's compliance percentage
Identify gaps in your security posture
Assign remediation tasks to team members
Implementation Support
Security Policies: Pre-configured Web3-specific security policies for endpoint monitoring
Alert Configuration: Templates aligned with W3OS monitoring requirements
Incident Response: War room features support W3OS incident response procedures
Audit Evidence: Export compliance data for stakeholder reviews
Getting Started with W3OS
Assess Current State: Review the official W3OS interactive checklist to understand all requirements
Prioritize by Domain: Start with Domain 1 (Wallets) and Domain 2 (Endpoints) as they address the highest-impact risks
Implement Controls: Use Sentry's monitoring features to automate compliance where possible
Document Procedures: Create runbooks for requirements that can't be automated
Regular Reviews: Schedule quarterly W3OS compliance reviews to maintain and improve security posture
W3OS Resources
Official Repository: github.com/Auditware/web3-opsec-standard
Interactive Checklist: Track your compliance and save progress at w3osc.github.io/web3-opsec-standard
Security Guides: Detailed implementation guides for each domain in the W3OS repository
Account Configuration Guides: Step-by-step checklists for securing popular services (Slack, Discord, GitHub, AWS, etc.)
Community: Join the W3OS Telegram group to collaborate with other organizations
Why Organizations Adopt W3OS
For Investor Due Diligence Demonstrate security maturity with documented controls, not just promises. W3OS compliance speeds up due diligence and builds confidence.
For Community Protection Protect Discord, Twitter, and Telegram from hijacking. Clear admin controls and 2FA requirements prevent reputational damage.
For Team Security Prevent endpoint compromises and wallet theft by ensuring all team members follow consistent security practices.
For Incident Preparedness Documented runbooks for multi-sig compromise, unauthorized deployments, and on-chain theft ensure rapid response when incidents occur.
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