Security
Audits
Shield’s components are independently audited, each scoped to that component:
| Component | Auditor |
|---|---|
| Bridge contracts (Ethereum L1 and Aztec L2) | Nethermind Security (NM-0756, May 2026) |
| Clean Hands ZK circuits | Hexens (2024) |
| Human Network threshold cryptography | Halborn (2024) |
No single firm reviewed all of Shield; each audit covers only its own component.
Early-network risk
Shield runs on Aztec v5 mainnet (deployment 5.0.0_2026-07-21). Aztec is still a young network. Treat it as
early-stage and bridge only amounts you can afford to lose.
Production Status
- Real ZK proofs enabled in production (deployment snapshots carry
realProofs: true) - Live on Aztec v5 mainnet as of 2026-07-21, deployment
5.0.0_2026-07-21 - Aztec runs continuous audits and an active bug bounty
Privacy
No plaintext PII stored at rest by bridge, human.tech, or Aztec: identity data is threshold-encrypted at issuance, not discarded. Identity data transits KYC and sanctions screening providers during verification. On-chain identity verification uses zero-knowledge proofs; no personal data appears on blockchain.
Source Code
Open source: github.com/holonym-foundation/aztec-bridge
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