How to triage protocol sources: docs, contracts, audits, and admin risk

In DeFi, “source-first” is not a slogan. It’s survival. Points programs change fast, UIs get cloned, and people lose money because they trusted a screenshot instead of primary sources.

This guide gives you a practical triage workflow you can run in 10–20 minutes before you interact with a new protocol or a new points campaign. It focuses on what you can verify and how to label uncertainty honestly.

Start from sourced program pages: points directory.

Quick take

• Start from primary sources (docs and official UI); ignore viral summaries until you confirm.
• Confirm the official domain; bookmark it; stop searching later.
• Find published contract addresses; verify code and upgradeability.
• Treat “audited” as a data point, not a guarantee; check scope and date.
• Identify admin risk: who can upgrade, pause, or change parameters, and is there a timelock?
• If you can’t explain the exit path, reduce exposure until you can.

Nothing here is financial advice. This is verification discipline.

What counts as a “source” (in DeFi terms)

When you read “source,” you’re looking for evidence you can defend later:

• an official docs page that defines mechanics
• an official UI that matches the docs
• published contract addresses you can check on-chain
• audits and change logs with dates

What doesn’t count as a source:

• “airdrop list” sites summarizing rumors
• screenshots with no links
• posts that claim “confirmed” without evidence

If something matters and you can’t source it, label it unverified. “Unknown” is an acceptable state.

The 15-minute triage workflow

Use this workflow as of 2025-12-30.

1) Find the official domain and lock it in

Do not start from search results. Start from a trusted hub page:

• Protocols
• Networks
• Categories

Then:

• confirm the official domain matches official docs and announcements
• bookmark it

If link safety is a weak spot, read: how to verify a points program is real.

2) Read the “how it works” page, not the homepage

Marketing pages are optimized to convert. Docs are optimized to explain.

Look for:

• what users deposit or trade
• what contracts do with funds
• how withdrawals work
• what can be upgraded or paused

If you can’t explain the mechanism in 3–5 sentences, you don’t understand it yet.

3) Find contract addresses and verify them

Protocols that handle deposits should publish contract addresses.

What to look for:

• addresses listed in official docs
• addresses that match the UI you’re using
• verified source code on explorers (when available)

Then ask:

• Is this a proxy?
• Who is the admin?
• Is there a timelock?
• Can withdrawals be paused?

You don’t need to audit the code. You do need to recognize upgradeability and admin control.

3.5) Save a minimal “source pack” in your notes

If you only save three links, save these:

• the docs page that explains withdrawals and risks
• the official app URL you actually used
• the page that lists contract addresses (or the explorer link if the protocol provides it)

This prevents you from re-searching later, which is when people click the wrong domain.

If you want a structure, use: questing recordkeeping.

4) Check the audit trail (scope and date)

An audit badge is not a safety guarantee.

When you see “audited,” check:

• who did the audit
• what commit/hash or version was audited
• what was in scope
• when it happened

If the protocol changed significantly after the audit, treat the audit as stale.

5) Write down the exit path

Make the exit path a first-class artifact, not an afterthought.

Use this guide: points farming exit plan.

The source triage table (copy this)

Use this table to structure your checks.

If multiple rows are missing, treat the protocol as higher risk and reduce exposure.

A quick primer on upgradeability (what you need to know)

Upgradeability isn’t automatically bad. It’s a trade:

• upside: bugs can be fixed
• downside: code can be changed in ways users didn’t expect

The question is control and transparency:

• Who can upgrade?
• Is there a timelock?
• Are upgrades announced and dated?

If a protocol can upgrade instantly without notice, your risk is not only “bugs.” Your risk is “rules changed overnight.”

The 60-second block explorer sanity check

When a protocol publishes contract addresses, a fast check can still catch obvious issues:

• Is the contract verified (source code published)?
• Does the contract look like a proxy (upgradeable)?
• Is there a visible admin/owner role?

You’re not proving safety. You’re identifying whether the protocol can change behavior quickly and whether there’s enough transparency to trust the links you’re clicking.

If the explorer shows unverified contracts holding user funds, treat it as a serious trust negative.

Admin risk: who can pause, upgrade, and move funds?

Look for:

• multisig control vs a single key
• timelocks for upgrades and parameter changes
• emergency pause functions (and whether they are bounded)

Pause functions can protect users during an incident; they can also trap users if exits are paused. Your exit plan needs to account for this.

How this ties back to points programs

Points programs amplify two problems:

• they create urgency (“season ends soon”)
• they push users into unfamiliar flows (new chains, new UIs, new approvals)

So triage matters more, not less. Start from sourced hubs and avoid the “random link → connect wallet” path.

If you want a comparison rubric for programs, read: compare crypto points programs.

FAQ

Do I need to read smart contract code to be safe?

Not to participate at a basic level, but you should understand whether contracts are upgradeable and who controls them. That alone changes your risk profile.

Are audits enough to trust a protocol?

No. Audits reduce some risks but don’t eliminate them. Check upgradeability, admin controls, and whether the protocol changed after the audit.

What if I can’t find contract addresses?

Treat it as a red flag, especially for protocols that custody funds. Reduce exposure or avoid until addresses and sources are clear.

What’s the biggest practical win from triage?

Avoiding fake sites and avoiding positions you can’t exit. Most users don’t need exotic threat models; they need a repeatable workflow.

Next step

• Browse sourced campaigns: points directory
• Verify link safety: how to verify a points program is real
• Learn approval risk: token approvals and Permit2

Sources and further reading

• Ethereum smart contracts overview: https://ethereum.org/en/developers/docs/smart-contracts/
• Proxy standard slots (EIP-1967): https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-1967
• OpenZeppelin proxies overview: https://docs.openzeppelin.com/upgrades-plugins/1.x/proxies