What is Shentu? All You Need to Know About CTK

BeginnerMar 21, 2024
Shentu (CTK) is a security-focused blockchain platform for smart contracts and dApps, offering robust tools and services to enhance safety.
What is Shentu? All You Need to Know About CTK

Shentu (CTK) is a security-focused blockchain platform for smart contracts and dApps, offering robust tools and services to enhance safety.

In an era where blockchain technology promises a decentralized future, the security and correctness of digital assets and smart contracts have never been more paramount. With over $4 billion lost to hacks in 2019 alone, adequate security measures are necessary. As blockchain’s openness often exposes it to vulnerabilities, Shentu Chain emerges as a foundational element of trust and security. Utilizing advanced technologies, it aims to decentralize security, offering on-chain solutions that maintain the integrity of digital assets. Through its strategic approach, Shentu Chain serves as a key player in establishing provable trust within the blockchain domain, ensuring the technology’s potential benefits everyone.

What is Shentu (CTK)?

Founded in 2018 by Columbia University graduate Ronghui Gu and his Ph.D. advisor, Yale University graduate Zhong Shao, Shentu (originally CertiK) embarked on a mission to elevate the security of blockchain ecosystems. As professors of Computer Science with a passion for programming languages, Gu and Shao sought to mitigate the vulnerabilities inherent in blockchain technology. Their ambition led to the creation of CertiK, a company dedicated to enhancing the security of blockchain projects, monitoring them, and ensuring the safety of smart contracts through comprehensive stages: pre-development, development, and post-development.

To achieve this, CertiK launched a mainnet initially named CertiK Chain, later rebranded as Shentu Chain. This move symbolized the platform’s commitment to offering multi-faceted protection, incorporating tools such as the Shentu Security Oracle, the DeepSea programming language, and ShentuShield.

Shentu’s innovative approach attracted significant attention, leading to a successful fundraising effort. The project raised $39.43 million through two rounds of private token sales, selling 38.00% of the total CTK token supply at prices of $0.77 and $1.90 per CTK during the first and second sales, respectively. This financial backing underscored the blockchain community’s confidence in Shentu’s potential to contribute to the ecosystem’s security and trustworthiness significantly.

How Does Shentu Work? Virtual Machine and Security Features

At the heart of Shentu’s innovative approach to blockchain security lies the Shentu Certified Virtual Machine (CVM), a groundbreaking platform that redefines the role of security in blockchain technology. Traditional virtual machines, while integral to blockchain operations, have typically treated security as an external, off-chain concern. These traditional systems perform formal verification outside of the virtual machine environment, rendering the results invisible to both chain operation and VM execution. This separation limits the potential for dynamic, on-chain responses to security assessments, a gap the CVM aims to bridge.

The CVM introduces a paradigm shift by embedding security as a core value within its operational framework. This integration allows for a more nuanced interaction among smart contracts, enabling them to adjust their behavior based on the security profiles of their counterparts. Such a mechanism mirrors real-world practices where the perceived security or trustworthiness of entities often influences decisions. By allowing smart contracts to differentiate interactions based on security levels, the CVM fosters a more secure and efficient blockchain ecosystem.

Supporting this advanced framework, the CVM utilizes the DeepSEA programming language, designed to facilitate the development of highly complex code while ensuring its formal verification through mathematical proofs. This approach significantly reduces the trusted computing base (TCB), enhancing the overall security of the VM code. The CVM is not only capable of executing bytecode and proofs generated by DeepSEA’s certified compiler but also enforces a rigorous standard of security, sandboxing, and isolation for code that has not undergone complete formal verification.

Through its sophisticated design, the CVM establishes a clear hierarchy of VM code security, allowing diverse technologies and vendors to coexist and interact with transparency and mutual understanding. This hierarchy ranges from the highest security level, characterized by trustless VM code backed by complete mathematical proof, to lower levels where non-secure VM code may operate with certain restrictions. This inclusive yet stratified approach ensures that the CVM can support various smart contract functionalities while maintaining stringent security standards.

The Shentu Certified Virtual Machine (CVM) stands as a cornerstone of Shentu’s security architecture, bringing the concept of on-chain security intelligence to the forefront of blockchain technology. By making security a dynamic, integral part of the blockchain environment, the CVM paves the way for safer, more reliable smart contract interactions. This security foundation is further augmented by Shentu’s innovative features, such as the Security Oracle and ShentuShield, which will be explored in the following sections, underscoring Shentu’s comprehensive approach to blockchain security.

Security Features

Shentu’s innovative approach to blockchain security is further enhanced through two pivotal features: the Shentu Security Oracle and ShentuShield. These components serve as the backbone for a secure, trustworthy blockchain ecosystem, addressing critical needs for real-time security insights and financial protection against losses.

The Shentu Security Oracle emerges as a critical mechanism, bridging the gap between the blockchain’s on-chain activities and the off-chain world of security assessments. In traditional settings, oracles serve as bridges for external data, but Shentu’s Oracle innovates by focusing specifically on security intelligence. It harnesses a decentralized network of security experts who assess the reliability of smart contracts, with their insights aggregated into a dynamic, on-chain security score. This score enables users and smart contracts to gauge the security of interactions in real-time, influencing decisions on transaction sizes or even halting potentially risky engagements based on the assessed security level. This continuous, agile assessment model ensures that projects can adapt and enhance their security posture, keeping pace with the evolving landscape of threats.

Source: shentu.technology

ShentuShield then builds on this foundation by providing a decentralized financial safety net for the blockchain community. In an ecosystem where billions have been lost to hacks and errors, ShentuShield offers a communal pool of CTK—the native currency of Shentu Chain—set aside to reimburse losses due to hacks, code malfunctions, or other irretrievable loss scenarios. This dual-layer system allows participants to either contribute to the pool, earning rewards while providing a safety net, or reserve a portion of this pool for protection against asset loss. The process is governed democratically, with the community voting on reimbursement claims, ensuring the system remains fair and resistant to manipulation.

The synergy between the Security Oracle and ShentuShield addresses two of the most pressing concerns in the blockchain space: ensuring the security of interactions and providing a mechanism to mitigate the consequences of security failures. By embedding these functionalities directly onto the blockchain, Shentu offers a more transparent, responsive, and democratic approach to security and asset protection.

In conclusion, Shentu’s Security Oracle and ShentuShield are more than just features; they represent a comprehensive approach to blockchain security and asset protection. These innovations offer dynamic, real-time security assessments and a decentralized safety net, respectively, addressing the dual challenges of securing blockchain interactions and providing recourse in the event of loss. Together, they embody Shentu’s commitment to elevating trust and security in the blockchain ecosystem, making it safer and more reliable for all users.

Shentu Use Cases

Shentu’s solutions cater to a broad spectrum of blockchain use cases, enhancing security and trust within the ecosystem. Here are some key applications:

  • Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Security: Shentu Security Oracles facilitate secure DeFi operations by offering real-time security scores for smart contracts. This aids in identifying potential vulnerabilities before transactions, thus safeguarding investments against the inherent risks of unaudited smart contracts.
  • Asset Protection: Through ShentuShield, users gain a mechanism to secure their digital assets against loss due to hacks, code malfunctions, or other unforeseen events. This decentralized pool offers reimbursements, providing a safety net for blockchain participants.
  • Smart Contract Auditing: Shentu’s ecosystem enables continuous, on-chain security analysis, decentralizing the task of security auditing. This ensures that smart contracts are constantly monitored and assessed for vulnerabilities, offering developers and users peace of mind.
  • Cross-chain Security: Shentu’s framework supports secure interoperability between blockchains, allowing for safe cross-chain transactions and interactions. This opens up a world of possibilities for seamless integration and operation across diverse blockchain platforms.

In conclusion, Shentu stands at the forefront of addressing the critical challenges of security and trust in the blockchain space. By providing tools for DeFi security, asset protection, continuous auditing, and cross-chain safety, Shentu is paving the way for a more secure and interconnected blockchain ecosystem, making it an indispensable asset for developers, investors, and users across the globe.

What is the CTK Coin?

CTK is Shentu’s native token, fueling security services like audits and the ShentuShield system. Its total supply counts 132,036,455 units, all already in circulation (March 2024).

CTK powers Shentu’s security-focused blockchain platform, emphasizing security in smart contracts and blockchain operations. CTK facilitates a range of essential functions, from security assessments by the Shentu Security Oracle to reimbursements through the ShentuShield Pool for lost or inaccessible assets. This integration across Shentu services underscores its value and utility within the ecosystem.

Characteristics and Use Cases

  • Security Oracle Rewards: CTK incentivizes security operators within a decentralized network to assess and validate smart contract code, enhancing ecosystem security.
  • ShentuShield Pool: Offers financial protection by using CTK as collateral to reimburse members for losses due to hacks or contract failures.
  • Gas Fees and Network Operations: CTK is required for executing transactions and smart contract operations on the Shentu Chain.
  • Staking and Governance: Holders can stake CTK to participate in network consensus and governance, securing the network and influencing its development.

Tokenomics and Token Allocation

  • Binance Launchpool: 1.50%
  • Private Sale 1: 29.00%
  • Private Sale 2: 9.00%
  • Team: 10.00%
  • Foundation: 25.00%
  • Community Pool: 17.50%
  • ShentuShield Pool: 8.00%

CTK’s integration into Shentu’s ecosystem offers a multifaceted approach to blockchain security and governance. It enables dynamic and decentralized security assessments, financial protection against losses, and active community participation in the ecosystem’s growth and governance. This comprehensive utility makes CTK an indispensable asset within the Shentu platform, ensuring its functionality and contributing to the broader vision of a secure and trustworthy blockchain environment.

Shentu Main Features

Shentu is recognized for enhancing security within the dynamic blockchain landscape, focusing on building trust and reliability. Its architecture integrates interesting components and features, including the innovative DeepSEA programming language, a robust Security Oracle architecture, and the user-centric DeepWallet, each designed to elevate the security and functionality of smart contracts and blockchain operations.

DeepSEA: A Language for Verified Smart Contracts

DeepSEA is a game-changer in the realm of smart contract development. This functional programming language, backed by the formal verification capabilities of the Coq proof assistant, empowers developers to write complex code with an unprecedented level of security assurance. DeepSEA’s design principles—equational reasoning, layered specification, encapsulation, and composition—allow for the construction of smart contracts that are not just code but verifiably correct and secure code. It simplifies the creation of formally verified programs, making it an invaluable tool for developers aiming to eliminate avoidable flaws and enhance the integrity of smart contracts within the blockchain ecosystem.

Chain Components: The Security Oracle Architecture

Shentu’s Security Oracle architecture underpins a decentralized network designed to enhance the security of DeFi projects. It comprises several components:

  • Business Chain: The blockchain platform supported by the Security Oracle.
  • Security Oracle Interface: Facilitates security inquiries from DeFi applications.
  • Shentu Chain: The core blockchain that manages security inquiries and solutions.
  • Oracle Combinator and Security Primitives: Work together to process and provide security scores for smart contracts, rewarding participants with CTK for their contributions. This architecture ensures a transparent, decentralized, and comprehensive security assessment process, reinforcing Shentu’s position as the guardian of blockchain security.

Source: shentu.technology

DeepWallet: Empowering Users with Enhanced Features

DeepWallet is Shentu’s non-custodial digital wallet, designed to emphasize security and user empowerment. It allows users to manage tokens, delegate stakes, deploy smart contracts, and participate in governance proposals. With its encryption of private keys locally, DeepWallet ensures that users have complete control over their assets. Additional functionalities like staking through ShentuShield Pools and participating in community governance highlight DeepWallet’s role in engaging users in the ecosystem’s growth and security.

In conclusion, Shentu redefines blockchain security through its innovative features. From the ground-breaking DeepSEA programming language that enables the creation of verifiably secure smart contracts to the comprehensive Security Oracle architecture and the empowering DeepWallet, Shentu is crafting a secure, transparent, and participatory blockchain environment. These features not only enhance the security of the blockchain space but also provide a solid foundation for its sustainable growth and the trust of its users.

Is CTK a Good Investment?

While the increasing demand for enhanced security and privacy in the cryptocurrency space underlines the potential value of solutions like those offered by Shentu’s CTK, it’s essential to remember the foundational principles of blockchain technology. Ideally, blockchain protocols, akin to Bitcoin’s, should be inherently robust and decentralized, negating the need for external security measures. This perspective suggests that while addressing current security challenges is critical, the ultimate goal remains the development of secure blockchain systems by design, reducing the reliance on additional layers of security.

How to Own CTK?

To own CTK, you can use the services of a centralized crypto exchange. Start by creating a Gate.io account, and get it verified and funded. Then, you are ready to go through the steps to buy CTK.

News on Shentu

According to what was reported on Shentu’s Medium page, in December 2023, the Shentu Chain introduced OpenBounty, a novel approach within its security ecosystem aimed at enhancing Web3 project safety. OpenBounty, leveraging blockchain for transparent, immutable bug bounty programs, connects white hat hackers with projects to secure vulnerabilities pre-emptively. It streamlines payouts and fosters trust between developers and security researchers. This initiative, part of Shentu’s broader security solutions, including the Security Oracle and Shentu Shield, positions the platform as a pivotal hub for Web3 security, embodying its mission to secure the decentralized technology landscape collaboratively.

Take Action on CTK

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Author: Mauro
Translator: Cedar
Reviewer(s): Edward、Piccolo、Ashley
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