Introduction
gm. I am excited to announce my candidacy for the Arbitrum Security Council as an individual member. With over a decade of experience in the blockchain industry working on security, smart contract development, and onchain governance, I bring a deep understanding of securing decentralized protocols and responding to emerging threats.
Having previously served on the Arbitrum Security Council as part of OpenZeppelin, I have firsthand experience navigating the council’s responsibilities and ensuring the safety of the ecosystem. My contributions extend beyond Arbitrum, having played key security roles in multiple DAOs, including Compound, zkSync, and OpenZeppelin-led security initiatives.
Professional Background
I have spent my career at the intersection of smart contract security, governance, and incident response. Some of my key roles include:
- Head of Solutions Engineering at Blockaid – Currently leading security solutions for one of the premier onchain security platforms used by Coinbase, MetaMask, Uniswap, and other major blockchain organizations.
- Head of Solutions Architecture at OpenZeppelin (~4 years) – Designed security frameworks for DAOs, managed high-profile audits, and co-authored Security Council Best Practices for decentralized governance.
- Security Advisor for Compound DAO (3+ years) – Providing security guidance and incident response support for one of DeFi’s most established lending protocols, leading OpenZeppelin’s partnership.
- Security Council Member (Arbitrum, Compound, ZkSync) – Managed or participated in live incidents and drills. Contributed to governance security and emergency response frameworks.
Beyond these roles, I am an active contributor to Web3 security initiatives, including:
- Security Alliance – Serving on the Technical Council and previously involved in SEAL 911
- EthTrust Solidity Security Standards – Contributed to Ethereum’s security best practices.
Incident Response & Governance Contributions
I have directly led or contributed to responses for major security incidents in the DeFi ecosystem, including:
- Compound TUSD Integration Issue ($80M impact)
Post-mortem analysis - ThirdWeb Arbitrary Address Spoofing Vulnerability
Vulnerability disclosure - Compound cETH Price Feed Incident
Incident post-mortem
My experience responding to critical threats has reinforced my belief in proactive security measures, structured monitoring, and effective emergency governance—principles I would bring to the Arbitrum Security Council.
Involvement in the Arbitrum Ecosystem
I have been an active contributor to Arbitrum governance and security over the past year, including:
- Leading security contributions to ARDC V1 – Played a key role in shaping the security strategy for the Arbitrum Research & Development Collective as OpenZeppelin’s representative.
- Security Council Member (March 2024 Cohort, OpenZeppelin) – Served part of OpenZeppelin’s term as a signer and security steward for the Arbitrum ecosystem.
- Stylus Sprint Grants Committee – Helping evaluate and fund projects advancing Arbitrum’s technology stack.
- Participation in Arbitrum community events – Participating and occasionally speaking at events during EthCC, Devcon, and EthDenver.
Motivation for Joining the Arbitrum Security Council
Security councils are a critical line of defense for DAOs. They must be highly responsive, technically capable, and governance-aware.
My past experience working on DAO-specific security, serving on security councils and engaging in governance discussions, makes me a unique candidate that can effectively work with other council members. I have prior working relationships with many of the current security council members and candidates that would make me a highly collaborative participant within the Council that is both highly technical and able to contribute to independent decision-making in high-stress situations.
As a council member, I would ensure transparent, security-first decision-making, enhance monitoring capabilities, and collaborate with fellow members to fortify Arbitrum’s security infrastructure by finding appropriate areas within the DAO where the Security Council and its members should have an active voice.
Conflict of Interest Statement
I currently serve as Head of Solutions Engineering at Blockaid, an onchain security platform providing monitoring solutions for various protocols. My role does not pose a conflict of interest with Arbitrum’s Security Council responsibilities.
Additionally, I previously worked at and continue to advise OpenZeppelin, another candidate in this election. I view our candidacies as complementary—OpenZeppelin brings the expertise of a leading security organization, while I offer a DAO-aligned, independent security perspective. Ideally, both OpenZeppelin and I would be elected, strengthening the council with diverse yet aligned security expertise.
Conclusion
With my deep expertise in DeFi security, onchain governance, and incident response, I am eager to continue contributing to Arbitrum’s security as an individual Security Council member.
I look forward to engaging with the community and ensuring Arbitrum remains resilient against emerging threats.
If you have any questions or want to discuss security improvements for the Arbitrum ecosystem, feel free to reach out!
Twitter: @LewellenMichael
Thank you for your support! Let’s keep Arbitrum secure together!
