Blockchain Security Education Programs

Comprehensive blockchain security and development education programs designed to onboard developers and security professionals to Web3. As educational partners of the Solana Foundation, Ackee provides industry-leading training in Rust programming, Solana development, and smart contract security auditing.

Educational Programs

School of Solana

A free, 9-week online certification program teaching Rust language fundamentals and Solana blockchain development. The program is designed for developers familiar with any programming language who want to learn Rust and Solana (no prior blockchain experience required). Students access pre-recorded video lectures and complete hands-on assignments at their own pace, with exclusive developer support from Ackee's Solana auditors.

Curriculum Highlights:

• Introduction to blockchain and Solana architecture (Proof of History, Sealevel)
• Rust programming fundamentals with emphasis on ownership and memory safety
• On-chain program development with Anchor framework
• Program Derived Addresses (PDAs), Cross-Program Invocations (CPIs), and error handling
• Frontend development for Solana programs using official Solana scaffold
• Token-2022 extensions and token program development
• Common vulnerability patterns and security best practices
• Best development practices, debugging techniques, and technical writing
• Gaming on Solana and Pinocchio (zero-dependency Solana library)

Certification Requirements: Students must complete no more than 2 missed assignments and develop a functional Solana program to earn the Ackee Blockchain Security certificate and NFT.

Solana Auditors Bootcamp

A specialized 7-week program for experienced Anchor developers who want to learn security auditing and vulnerability discovery. This intensive, advanced program transforms developers into security professionals capable of auditing Solana programs.

Curriculum Highlights:

• Advanced Anchor concepts relevant to security auditing
• Integration testing and unit testing methodologies
• Fuzzing with Trident framework (two comprehensive modules)
• Security best practices and defensive programming
• Common vulnerability vectors including:
  • Missing signer checks and authorization bypasses
  • Account validation vulnerabilities
  • Arithmetic overflows and precision issues
  • Reentrancy and cross-program invocation attacks
  • PDA derivation and seed collision issues
  • State machine bugs and economic vulnerabilities
• Capture The Flag challenge for practical vulnerability exploitation

Prerequisites: Proficiency in Rust and extensive experience writing Anchor programs required.

Certification: Successful completion of all modules and the CTF challenge earns an industry-recognized Ackee Blockchain Security auditor certification.

University Teaching

Ackee's co-founder and CEO, Josef Gattermayer, Ph.D., teaches EVM and blockchain security courses at Czech Technical University in Prague, bringing academic rigor to blockchain security education.

Learning Methodology

Self-Paced Learning: Pre-recorded video lectures from Ackee's senior auditors and guest speakers from leading organizations (Solana Foundation, Helius Labs, Rektoff) allow students to learn at their own pace while maintaining consistent quality.

Hands-On Assignments: Practical coding tasks and security challenges ensure students apply concepts in real development and auditing scenarios.

Expert Support: Direct access to Ackee's auditors for questions, guidance, and mentorship throughout the programs.

Certification: Official certificates and NFTs upon successful completion demonstrate professional-level knowledge to employers and the ecosystem.

Community: Access to Discord communities, alumni networks, and peer learning opportunities.

Educational Materials

Ackee provides comprehensive study materials including the Solana Handbook, a detailed resource covering Solana fundamentals, development best practices, and security considerations. The handbook serves as both entry point for new developers and reference material for experienced practitioners.

Educational Philosophy

Ackee's educational programs are built from extensive real-world experience: 220+ audits completed, 2,500+ security issues discovered including 269 critical and high-severity vulnerabilities, and expertise protecting $180B+ in Total Value Locked. The curriculum reflects the same methodologies used to secure leading protocols including Lido Finance, Safe Global, Aave, Axelar Network, 1inch Network, and Kamino Finance.

Recognition and Partnerships

As official educational partners of the Solana Foundation, Ackee's programs are recognized throughout the Solana ecosystem. The company has received development grants from Coinbase and the Solana Foundation for their contributions to blockchain security infrastructure and education.

Career Outcomes

School of Solana Graduates are prepared for roles including Solana Protocol Developer, DeFi Engineer, Smart Contract Developer, Blockchain Consultant, and Technical Founder positions.

Auditors Bootcamp Graduates are qualified for Security Auditor, Security Engineer, Bug Bounty Hunter, Security Researcher, and Protocol Security Lead positions. Top performers may be considered for positions on Ackee's audit team.

Educational Impact

Ackee's educational initiatives have helped onboard thousands of developers to the Solana ecosystem, raised security awareness across Web3, and contributed to a stronger, more security-conscious blockchain development community. The programs represent Ackee's mission to make blockchain a safer space through both direct security services and knowledge sharing.