Snaps Sub DAO Grant #002 - Audits for Snaps: Identity Snap, Aleo, Polkadot

The MetaMask Grants DAO has approved a sub-DAO specifically for Snaps with a budget of 70k USDC. As part of our v1 launch, the Snaps team wishes to use this sub-DAO to cover the audit costs for teams that are part of our launch cohort. For context, Snaps v1 will launch in September of this year and it uses an allowlist. A snap must meet the following criteria to be on the allowlist:

1. Source code is public

2. Audited by an approved audit partner that can audit JavaScript code

3. The audit report is shared with the MetaMask Snaps team for internal review

These audits can range from $1k to $30k or more and for some teams this cost can be onerous. If a snap has a use case that we consider strategic (multichain, transaction security, notifications, decentralized identity) then it is in our best interest to help that snap be part of our launch.

This proposal is a combination of 2 applications from snap teams to cover audit costs. The combined amount of the audits is 22k USDC. Each request is covered below:

Identity snap Category: decentralized identity and verifiable credentials

From the developer:

Identity Snap is a sophisticated plugin that developers can incorporate into a variety of applications to enhance MetaMask's functionality beyond its native capabilities. Specifically, Identity Snap extends MetaMask's features by adding support for Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), Verifiable Credentials (VCs), and the Hedera DLT. This plugin can be seamlessly installed as a JavaScript npm package on web applications, thereby offering a range of advanced features to users.

With Identity Snap, users can create Verifiable Credentials using either their MetaMask account or a non-MetaMask account (e.g., by directly importing their private key). Additionally, this plugin enables DID resolution and VC verification, among other functionalities.

Examples of use cases for Identity Snap include:

Secure access control: Identity Snap can be employed for authentication and authorization purposes, granting users secure access to various online services and resources based on their verifiable credentials.

Credential management: Users can create, manage, and verify their credentials, such as educational qualifications or professional certifications, with the added convenience and security provided by the MetaMask extension.

Decentralized identity management: Identity Snap empowers users to establish and maintain control over their digital identities through the use of DIDs and VCs, thus ensuring privacy, security, and reduced reliance on centralized authorities.

In summary, Identity Snap is a valuable addition to the MetaMask ecosystem offering users an array of enhanced features and enabling developers to incorporate advanced identity management functionalities into their applications. Development has been completed and our team is requesting funds to be used entirely for a security audit.

Grant request: 10k USDC to cover the cost of the audit for the Identity snap.

Aleo, Polkadot Category: multichain

ChainSafe, a trusted developer partner, is developing two snaps for layer 1 protocols: Aleo and Polkadot. The grant request is for a combined audit fee of $12k to audit both snaps. These snaps will add support for the respective layer 1 protocols to MetaMask.

Grant request: 12k USDC to cover the cost of the audits for the Aleo and Polkadot snaps.

Total amount of 2 grants: 22k USDC