Hi all!
My name is Jerome Rousselot. A friend suggested I apply to the Arbitrum Security Council elections because of my expertise in blockchain and software security.
Prior Experience
I have been working full time in the blockchain space since 2014.
Initially leading the development of a hardware and later mobile wallets with Mycelium, one of the most widely used non custodial wallets at the time.
In parallel I created my own company Jita Digital in 2015. First to build a blockchain micro-finance proof of concept, then to offer security audits and product development services to blockchain startups.
We worked with Nexus Mutual (decentralized insurance), Safello (Swedish exchange), Zen Protocol (layer 1 F* and F# theorem prover smart contracts), Minima (a new Proof of Burn blockchain), Ref.Finance (the largest DEX on NEAR), Texture Capital (the first security token platform to get a broker-dealer licence in the US), Qredo (Layer 2 MPC for institutional custody, compliance and trading) and many more.
Before blockchain, I obtained my PhD in Theoretical Computer Science at EPFL, Switzerland while studying wireless decentralised protocols. After which I joined Marvell Semiconductor, where I worked on hardware/software co-design, smartphones and digital TV platform architecture and security.
I am very experienced working with fully distributed teams combining many work and national cultures.
Why I apply
Layer 2 are a critical component of the blockchain ecosystem to enable mass adoption and ease of use for the next wave of users.
Many new L1 and L2 have suffered from poor key management. This is a topic often neglected by both the communities and the development teams.
Unfortunately, private keys and decision making centralisation can have grave consequences for this type of projects.
Decentralising these operations is not trivial. The Arbitrum Foundation has correctly identified and worked on the problem, with the support of its community.
It would be a great experience to participate in this process and help resolve any possible issues as we go. This would be of great benefit not only for Arbitrum and its community, but also to the wider blockchain industry. Our industry has suffered for too long from widespread fraud and has a very poor image with the wider public.
Security Council Member Requirements
I will help uphold the Constitution of the Arbitrum DAO.
I will be available and contactable by the Arbitrum Foundation in case of an emergency.
I will proactively engage with all other Security Council members when an action is necessary.
I will work with the Foundation to actively communicate the need for emergency and non-emergency actions when an issue is detected, and provide follow ups accordingly.
I will help document all actions and publish a transparency report after the emergency actions are completed.
I will maintain confidentiality of critical vulnerabilities and other sensitive information until the transparency report is published.
I will participate in security drills and flag day events organised by the Arbitrum Foundation.
I will prioritise operational security which includes, but not limited to, the use of a dedicated hardware wallet for this single role.
I will independently understand all security incidents and how the proposed upgrade will fix it.
Technology Expertise
I am very familiar with Solidity, Rust, C/C++, Assembly, Go, Javascript, Java/Kotlin, Virtual Machine, assembly languages, as well as blockchain cryptography fundamentals, CPU architecture, hardware security principles. I recently started experimenting with some formal verification frameworks.
Personal Information
I am a French citizen and I am based in Portugal. I regularly attend crypto conferences in Europe.
Besides blockchain, I enjoy running marathons, listening to macro economy podcasts, travelling, and trying water sports.
More Information
You can listen to two podcasts to hear directly from me:
- October 2022, 30 minutes on security audits and my background
What it takes to audit smart contracts - May 2023, 15 minutes on stablecoins
jitadigital.com /media/walkers-global-we-talk-banking-finance-podcast-bonus-crypto-episode-stablecoins/
You can also reach out directly to me on telegram @jeromerousselot
I hope this was helpful!
I found it very valuable to go through the election process.
If elected, it would be a great opportunity to work together with the other members of the Arbitrum Security Council.
Finally, if interested, your vote is very welcome! 
