Solana Foundation Launches STRIDE Network to Strengthen DeFi Security

The Solana Foundation has introduced a new security framework called STRIDE Network in response to plenty of decentralised finance (DeFi) hacks in recent times. STRIDE, short for Solana Trust, Resilience and Infrastructure for DeFi Enterprises, is designed to evaluate protocols across eight key pillars, including program security, governance controls, oracle dependencies, infrastructure, and operational practices. Developed in collaboration with Web3 security firm Asymmetric Research, this initiative aims to provide a structured approach to identifying vulnerabilities, ensuring compliance, and improving transparency.

New Security Framework Targets Risk Monitoring Across DeFi Ecosystem

STRIDE aims to cover supply chain exposure, incident response readiness, and forensic capabilities. Each participating protocol will undergo an independent assessment, with findings made publicly available to improve trust and accountability across the ecosystem. Alongside STRIDE, the foundation announced the Solana Incident Response Network (SIRN), a coalition of security firms focused on coordinating real-time responses to threats. Founding participants of SIRN include Asymmetric Research, OtterSec, Neodyme, Squads, and ZeroShadow.

As per the official announcement, the framework is intended to raise security standards across the ecosystem. The Solana Foundation noted that the initiative aims to “raise the bar for every builder in the ecosystem,” while ensuring that users and investors gain better visibility into the security posture of protocols they interact with. Regarding SIRN, the foundation further added that “Members will share threat intelligence, coordinate responses to active incidents, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of the STRIDE framework.” 

Earlier this week, Drift Protocol, which fell prey to a recent exploit, said the incident was not a typical hack but a months-long, highly coordinated social engineering operation. According to the platform, attackers posed as a legitimate trading firm, interacted with executives at industry events, and even invested capital to build trust. Over time, they reportedly tricked team members into engaging with malicious code and applications, potentially compromising devices and gaining access to critical systems.

Such incidents are why the Solana Foundation built STRIDE, a foundation that is meant to tackle such bad actors harming the crypto ecosystem. The initiative reflects growing efforts within the crypto industry to address security challenges as attacks become more sophisticated and as DeFi adoption continues to expand.