From Taxi Driver to Security Researcher, Updraft Changes Lives

Self-described “random guy,” Elhaj, went from university student and taxi driver to security researcher with no coding or technical experience. He was originally introduced to blockchain technology through meme tokens, and it sparked an interest that led him to Cyfrin Updraft’s Solidity Smart Contract Development course. He’s now a full time blockchain security researcher with plans to start an auditing company.

My Journey

I’m just a random guy. Most of my youth was spent exploring various paths and seeking to understand how things work. Also figuring out what to do. 

I spent my first year of University rapping and studying English then dropped out (not for me). After three months of math, I left that too (disconnected from real-life). Looking for a fresh start, I moved to a different country to study Economics and left in my final year. This time with purpose. 

I was driving a taxi to pay tuition and cover bills. I spent more time behind the wheel of a car than in a classroom and felt like I was in a doom spiral of failure. So, I channeled my frustration into learning development skills.

In late 2022 I got caught in the tail end of the bull run and invested in meme tokens (Shiba Inu to the moon!). Though it was the cycle’s late stages, it sparked an interest. 

January 2023 is when I finally decided, for real this time, to become a developer. 

I began simply, mastering fast typing, Python basics (“Hello, World!”), and simple if/else scripts. In February I chose Blockchain, opened a GitHub account, and began Cyfrin Updraft’s Solidity Smart Contract Development course with Patrick Collins. 

I spent hours and hours and hours–nights, weekends, all my free time–coding, debugging, learning JavaScript/TypeScript with hardhat, and digging into smart contracts. 

As I went deeper, I discovered auditing. The complexities and potential vulnerabilities in smart contracts were intriguing and I started exploring it seriously.

In July/August I entered my first coding contest–Beedle on Cyfrin CodeHawks, just trying to understand. Surprisingly, I found a high and received my first $11 payout! A huge achievement for me, providing the motivation to join the next contest. 

‍In September, I tackled the DittoETH contest on Cyfrin CodeHawks, a complex on-chain order book where each line of code required research. I came in 5th. Which motivated me to quit my job and focus fully on coding. I’m excited to be doing well today.

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What Advice Do You Give To People Curious About Blockchain Development?

Just do it. Just start where you are and keep pushing forward. If it's hard for you, it's hard for everyone. Believe me, it’s worth it. Every step counts! 

I taught myself how to type! And Cyfrin Updraft’s courses helped me go from taxi driver to security researcher. You can too.

Start with the foundation, gain some programming knowledge, explore development languages, applications, syntax, etc. Learn how they work, how they interact, how the pieces fit together. Tackle questions that puzzle you. 

Of course, start with the Solidity and Smart Contract Development course on Updraft. Then, follow a specialization path that interests you, the Smart Contract Security course, for example. Apply the things you learn and build your own projects. This is the most difficult part because you have only your creativity, ingenuity, guile, and resourcefulness to rely on. 

Ask questions and use every available resource to learn, like ProgrammerSmart’s Solidity by Examples website , RareSkills blogs, Cyfrin’s blog, etc. 

What’s interesting about Updraft’s courses, they sort the ideas in your mind and provide a clear path to becoming a blockchain developer or security researcher. Whatever your starting point. You can find everything you need there. And,you will use the things you learn every day. I use a mix of tools like Foundry, Tenderly, REMIX, Hardhat, all of which are covered in the courses.

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Join the Blockchain Security Revolution

Blockchain Security and auditing is truly a meritocracy. ChaseTheLight said it best: “What I really love about web3 (especially competitive audit platforms) is that as long as you have a laptop and Internet, you can participate. Your payout is primarily dependent on being good at what you do. The opportunity is truly equal.”

Blockchain's potential to democratize access to resources and opportunities is exciting. If adopted widely, it could address inequalities and create a more transparent, fair, and equitable system. 

The greatest need to achieve this is security. Real people demand to know the protocols they trust with their livelihood are secure, that their money is safe, that it won’t just disappear. Otherwise, “blockchain” is no different than the existing system.