Semi Trusted Roles

SEMI_TRUSTED_ROLES Skill

Trigger Pattern: SEMI_TRUSTED_ROLE flag (required) Inject Into: Breadth agents, depth-state-trace Purpose: Analyze semi-trusted roles in Aptos Move protocols using capability-based access control, modeling both role-to-user and user-to-role attack vectors

Trigger Patterns

signer|SignerCapability|AdminCap|OperatorCap|KeeperCap|has_role|
assert_admin|assert_operator|friend|acquires|ExtendRef|
DeleteRef|TransferRef|MintRef|BurnRef

Reasoning Template

Step 1: Inventory Role Permissions

Enumerate ALL privileged roles in the protocol:

Aptos capability patterns to inventory:

• SignerCapability: Stored in resource, allows generating a signer for the capability's address. Can call any function requiring that signer.
• Custom capability structs: AdminCap, OperatorCap etc. -- often stored in the deployer's account or an Object
• Signer checks: assert!(signer::address_of(account) == @admin, E_NOT_ADMIN) -- direct address comparison
• Friend declarations: friend module::other -- allows other to call public(friend) functions
• Object Refs: ExtendRef, DeleteRef, TransferRef, MintRef, BurnRef -- object-level capabilities
• Resource account patterns: Module creates a resource account and stores its SignerCapability

For each role at {ROLE_FUNCTIONS}:

• What state does it modify?
• What external calls does it make (via CPI or module calls)?
• What parameters does it accept?

Step 2: Analyze Within-Scope Abuse (Direction A: Malicious Role)

For each permitted action, ask:

Timing Abuse:

• Can {ROLE_NAME} execute at harmful times? (front-run users via transaction ordering, during rebalance)
• Can {ROLE_NAME} delay execution to harm users? (withhold keeper actions)

Parameter Abuse:

• Can {ROLE_NAME} pass harmful parameters? (max slippage, wrong recipient address, extreme fee values)
• Are parameters validated on-chain, or trusted implicitly from the role?

Sequence Abuse:

• Can {ROLE_NAME} execute operations out of order?
• Can {ROLE_NAME} skip required operations in a multi-step process?

Omission Abuse:

• Can {ROLE_NAME} harm users by NOT acting? (skip price updates, delay distributions, never trigger harvest)

Step 3: Model Attack Scenarios

Scenario A: Timing Attack
1. {ROLE_NAME} monitors mempool for user transaction {USER_ACTION}
2. {ROLE_NAME} front-runs with {ROLE_ACTION}
3. User's transaction executes with worse conditions
4. Impact: {TIMING_IMPACT}

Scenario B: Parameter Attack
1. {ROLE_NAME} calls {ROLE_FUNCTION} with {MALICIOUS_PARAMS}
2. Parameters are not validated against {EXPECTED_CONSTRAINTS}
3. Impact: {PARAM_IMPACT}

Scenario C: Key Compromise
1. {ROLE_NAME} private key is compromised (or SignerCapability is leaked)
2. Attacker can call: {ROLE_FUNCTIONS}
3. Maximum extractable value: {MAX_DAMAGE}
4. Recovery options: {RECOVERY_PATH}

Step 4: Assess Mitigations

Does a removal/revocation function for {ROLE_NAME} EXIST? If NO -> FINDING: role is irrevocable without module upgrade. Severity: minimum Medium if role can modify user-facing state.

Step 4b: Capability Escalation Analysis

Aptos-specific escalation vectors:

• SignerCapability has copy + store abilities -- can it be extracted and stored elsewhere?
• ExtendRef allows adding resources to an Object -- can a role add capabilities it shouldn't have?
• TransferRef allows ungated transfer of an Object -- can a role transfer an Object holding other capabilities?
• MintRef / BurnRef -- can a role with mint capability effectively drain the protocol?
• Friend module access -- can a friend module be upgraded to abuse public(friend) functions?

Step 4c: Capability Transfer and Duplication

Key checks:

• If capability has copy -> it can be duplicated, creating multiple holders
• If capability has store -> it can be placed in global storage, potentially accessible by others
• If capability has drop -> it can be silently discarded (may not be a risk, but check if protocol assumes it persists)
• If a transfer_cap() function exists -> trace who can call it and whether it validates the recipient

Reverse Perspective: User Exploitation of Roles

Step 5: Model User-Side Exploitation (Direction B: Malicious Users)

Predictability Analysis:

• Is the role's behavior predictable? (scheduled tasks, triggered by events, MEV-visible)
• Can users observe when the role will act?
• Can users front-run or back-run the role's actions?

Scenario D: User Exploits Keeper Timing

1. User observes that {ROLE_NAME} executes {ROLE_ACTION} at predictable times
2. User positions themselves before {ROLE_ACTION} (front-running the keeper)
3. {ROLE_ACTION} executes, changing state
4. User benefits from known state change
5. Impact: {USER_EXPLOIT_IMPACT}

Scenario E: User Griefs Role Preconditions

1. {ROLE_FUNCTION} has precondition: {PRECONDITION}
2. User can manipulate state to violate {PRECONDITION}
3. {ROLE_NAME} calls {ROLE_FUNCTION}, which aborts
4. System enters degraded state (no keeper actions possible)
5. Impact: {GRIEF_IMPACT}

Scenario F: User Forces Suboptimal Role Action

1. {ROLE_NAME} must choose between options based on state
2. User manipulates state to make worst option appear best
3. {ROLE_NAME} (following honest behavior) chooses suboptimal path
4. User profits from forced suboptimal execution
5. Impact: {SUBOPTIMAL_IMPACT}

Scenario G: Same-Chain Rate Staleness via Discrete Updates

1. Protocol's exchange rate only updates when {ROLE_NAME} acts (discrete updates)
2. Between role actions, rate is stale -- does not reflect accumulated value
3. User monitors for {ROLE_NAME} pending transaction
4. User enters at stale rate (favorable), {ROLE_NAME} executes, rate updates
5. User exits at updated rate (or holds appreciating position)
6. Impact: {RATE_ARBIT_IMPACT}

Step 6: Precondition Griefability Check

For each function callable by {ROLE_NAME}:

Generic Rule: Any privileged function precondition that depends on user-manipulable state is potentially griefable.

Step 6b: Admin/Privileged Function Griefability (EXHAUSTIVE)

MANDATORY: Enumerate ALL privileged functions by scanning for signer checks, capability acquires, and friend-only visibility. Do NOT rely on manual scanning.

For each function callable by admin or equivalent role:

Enumeration completeness check:

• Total role-restricted functions found: {N}
• Functions analyzed in this table: {M}
• If M < N -> INCOMPLETE -- analyze missing functions before proceeding

Specific Aptos checks:

• Can users create resources that block admin move_from operations?
• Can users deposit unsolicited tokens that prevent admin operations expecting zero balance?
• Can users initiate multi-step operations whose pending state blocks admin actions?
• Can users create Objects in a namespace that conflicts with admin Object creation?

Key Questions (must answer ALL)

1. What is the maximum damage if {ROLE_NAME} acts maliciously?
2. What is the maximum damage if {ROLE_NAME} key/capability is compromised?
3. Are there time-sensitive operations where {ROLE_NAME} timing matters?
4. What user funds or protocol state can {ROLE_NAME} affect?
5. Can users predict when {ROLE_NAME} will act?
6. Can users manipulate preconditions to block {ROLE_NAME}?
7. Can users profit by positioning around {ROLE_NAME}'s scheduled actions?
8. What happens if {ROLE_NAME} cannot execute? (system degradation)
9. Can users block admin operations via state manipulation or unsolicited deposits?

Common False Positives

• View-only operations: If role can only read state, no abuse vector
• Idempotent operations: If calling twice has same effect as once, timing abuse is limited
• User-initiated dependency: If role action requires user to initiate first, front-running may not apply
• Economic alignment: If role is economically aligned (staked collateral), malicious action has cost
• Module upgrade authority: Separate from in-protocol roles -- module upgrade is a governance concern, not a semi-trusted role issue (unless the protocol treats it as semi-trusted)

Instantiation Parameters

{CONTRACTS}           -- Move modules to analyze
{ROLE_NAME}           -- Specific role (operator, keeper, admin, etc.)
{ROLE_FUNCTIONS}      -- Functions this role can call
{ROLE_CAPABILITIES}   -- Capability structs held by this role
{USER_ACTION}         -- User action that could be front-run
{ROLE_ACTION}         -- Role action used in attack
{TIMING_IMPACT}       -- Impact of timing attack
{MALICIOUS_PARAMS}    -- Harmful parameter values
{EXPECTED_CONSTRAINTS}-- What params should be validated against
{PARAM_IMPACT}        -- Impact of parameter attack
{MAX_DAMAGE}          -- Maximum extractable value
{RECOVERY_PATH}       -- How to recover from compromise

Output Schema

Step Execution Checklist (MANDATORY)

Cross-Reference Markers

After Step 4 (Assess Mitigations):

• DO NOT STOP HERE -- Steps 5-6 analyze the reverse direction
• IF role has any preconditions depending on user state -> MUST complete Step 6

After Step 4c (Capability Transfer):

• IF capability has copy ability -> document duplication risk explicitly
• IF SignerCapability is stored -> trace ALL code paths that access it

After Step 5 (User-Side Exploitation):

• Cross-reference with TOKEN_FLOW_TRACING.md for token-related griefing vectors
• IF keeper actions are predictable -> document MEV/front-running vectors

After Step 6 (Precondition Griefability):

• IF any precondition is user-griefable -> severity >= MEDIUM
• Document system degradation if keeper is blocked