# Quick Start

Welcome to Cyfrin CodeHawks! Here's a quick and easy guide to get you started as an auditor and submit your first vulnerabilities.

### **1. Create an account on CodeHawks**

First, create a new account by visiting  [codehawks.cyfrin.io](https://codehawks.cyfrin.io) and clicking the "sign up" button in the top right corner:

<figure><img src="https://3043220823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F03192NVKR2mN0yJAWWw2%2Fuploads%2FAn5i2q2qIigKw13TbQPw%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c4877f35-b141-4de2-b3fa-ae52ac644bb0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### 2. Subscribe to your first CodeHawks competition

Navigate to the competitions page and look for "Live" or "Upcoming" contests:

<figure><img src="https://3043220823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F03192NVKR2mN0yJAWWw2%2Fuploads%2FNeP0x5hbpN7NcOjzyfIK%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=b3851f5b-1239-4772-bd9b-ff65dbe4b7b0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

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**Don't want to miss any of our competition announcements?**&#x20;

Make sure to follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/CyfrinAudits?s=20) and join our [Discord](https://discord.gg/cyfrin) server!
{% endhint %}

Clicking on a competition will open its details page, with important information such as:

* [Prize pool](https://docs.codehawks.com/hawks-auditors/payouts) severity breakdowns
* Start and end dates
* [nSLOC](https://docs.codehawks.com/glossary) and scope
* Scoring
* Link to the GitHub repository (if the competition is live)

<figure><img src="https://3043220823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F03192NVKR2mN0yJAWWw2%2Fuploads%2FmnbgCy3gW367vgur0LvC%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a4629ab2-30fb-4cab-a2f8-f72a2600028b" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Every contest also comes with details that will help you understand:

* The codebase
* Scope
* compatibilities
* How to get the codebase up and running

New contests are announced almost every week. When you find a contest that fits your skills, click on the subscribe button to join it:

<figure><img src="https://3043220823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F03192NVKR2mN0yJAWWw2%2Fuploads%2FOcV2jnYCxnVWzubKnFXm%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=50adf1ff-114c-4282-8be2-16a43d534da7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### 3. Submit your first finding vulnerability

Once you've found your first vulnerability, navigate to the competition page, and click on the submit "submit a vulnerability" button:

<figure><img src="https://3043220823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F03192NVKR2mN0yJAWWw2%2Fuploads%2F7eF7fTx6vAfpZuP3M2Kd%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=d3c91699-1d3c-4d46-a233-588b2f33c856" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

To submit your vulnerability, you'll be asked to insert:

* Title - a <250 character descriptive title of your submission
* Severity - a matrix of likelihood and impact characterizing your finding. Read [how-to-evaluate-a-finding-severity](https://docs.codehawks.com/hawks-auditors/how-to-evaluate-a-finding-severity "mention")for a full explanation.
* Description - a detailed description of the vulnerability found and how to reproduce it.

Learn more on [how-to-write-and-submit-a-finding](https://docs.codehawks.com/hawks-auditors/how-to-write-and-submit-a-finding "mention")on the dedicated guide.

### 5. Await for the judging results&#x20;

**After the auditing period ends, judges will evaluate each submission carefully to determine its validity, severity, and overall quality.**

**Judging is done in two steps:**

* [Community Judging](https://docs.codehawks.com/judging/how-community-judging-works) - a period where all [eligible community judges](https://docs.codehawks.com/judging/community-judging-eligibility) can evaluate others' submissions
* [Lead judging](https://docs.codehawks.com/judging/the-judging-process) - a period where the lead judge confirms or not the community judges' decisions and issue the final pre-appeal judgments.

Every phase will be communicated on the platform and via announcements on [Discord](https://discord.gg/cyfrin).

Learn more about [the judging process](https://docs.codehawks.com/judging/the-judging-process).

### 6. Appeal to the judge's results

For 48 hours following judging, [appeals](https://docs.codehawks.com/hawks-auditors/appeals) will be accepted to contest judgments. This period will be clearly announced across all channels.

\
During the 48 hours, interactions will be enabled on your GitHub submissions. During this time, you may leave comments detailing your escalation for re-assessment.

### 7. Get rewarded

Once the final report is released, results will be announced, and [payouts](https://docs.codehawks.com/hawks-auditors/payouts) will be sent to the winners.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Rewards are paid out in USDC through the ZKsync chain. Crediting the reward won't be possible without a ZKsync wallet connected to the user profile.
{% endhint %}