Ethereum World's Fair @ Devconnect

Stop Signing Blank Checks: The Case for Clear Signing
2025-11-21 , World's Fair Stage

Every time you sign a hexadecimal string in a blockchain transaction, you're essentially handing out a blank check. But it's actually worse than that—on the blockchain, these actions are immutable. There's no calling your bank to reverse a fraudulent transaction.

Attackers know this vulnerability and have turned blind signing into one of the most exploited attack vectors in Web3. Users are routinely tricked into signing transactions they can't read or understand, resulting in drained wallets and stolen assets.

There is a solution: Clear Signing.
In this talk, we'll explore how Clear Signing transforms opaque hexadecimal data into human-readable transaction details before you sign. You'll learn:
- Why blind signing creates an unacceptable security risk for blockchain users
- How Clear Signing works under the hood to decode and display transaction intent
- How Ledger is expanding Clear Signing across our the entire ecosystem, for all wallets and dApps

It's time to move beyond asking users to trust what they can't see. Join us to learn how Clear Signing is making blockchain transactions secure, transparent, and truly user-controlled.

Target Audience: Developers, security researchers, dApp builders, and anyone concerned about Web3 security and user experience.

Carl Anderson runs software as VP Engineering at Ledger, a leading security company allowing blockchain users to safely manage their digital assets.