DApps Ecosystems: Mapping the Network Structure of Smart Contract Interactions

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the network structure of smart contract interactions within dApps to identify common patterns, vulnerabilities, and key functions critical for system robustness and security.

Contribution

It reconstructs and examines the contract-function interaction networks in dApps, revealing architectural patterns and potential security vulnerabilities.

Findings

Contracts are modular and self-sufficient

Key functions are critical for network connectivity

Common development patterns identified

Abstract

In recent years, decentralized applications (dApps) built on blockchain platforms such as Ethereum and coded in languages such as Solidity, have gained attention for their potential to disrupt traditional centralized systems. Despite their rapid adoption, limited research has been conducted to understand the underlying code structure of these applications. In particular, each dApp is composed of multiple smart contracts, each containing a number of functions that can be called to trigger a specific event, e.g., a token transfer. In this paper, we reconstruct and analyse the network of contracts and functions calls within the dApp, which is helpful to unveil vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious attackers. We show how decentralization is architecturally implemented, identifying common development patterns and anomalies that could influence the system's robustness and efficiency. We find a consistent network structure characterized by modular, self-sufficient contracts and a complex web of function interactions, indicating common coding practices across the blockchain community. Critically, a small number of key functions within each dApp play a pivotal role in maintaining network connectivity, making them potential targets for cyber attacks and highlighting the need for robust security measures.