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Dynamic Analysis

1 min read
Pronunciation
[dahy-nam-ik uh-nal-uh-sis]
Analogy
Like test-driving a car under various road conditions to uncover mechanical issues.
Definition
A security testing approach that examines smart contract behavior at runtime by executing transactions, fuzzing inputs, and monitoring for vulnerabilities under realistic conditions.
Key Points Intro
Dynamic analysis finds vulnerabilities by exercising code in live or simulated environments.
Key Points

Fuzz testing: Randomized inputs to trigger edge-case behavior.

Instrumentation: Hooks monitor state changes and gas usage.

Runtime checks: Detect reentrancy, overflow, and access violations.

Coverage analysis: Measures which code paths are exercised.

Example
A tool deploys a DeFi contract on a local testnet, generates thousands of random transactions, and flags any assertion failures or unexpected exceptions.
Technical Deep Dive
Frameworks use symbolic execution to guide fuzzers, attach EVM hooks to capture opcodes, and record traces. Detectors look for patterns like `CALL` within loops or unchecked `send()` returns.
Security Warning
Dynamic analysis may miss logic vulnerabilities not triggered by test inputs; complement with static and formal methods.
Caveat
High resource consumption; requires carefully designed test harnesses.
Related Terms
Static Analysis

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