Processing audit reports

Abstract

A computer implemented method for processing audit reports by an audit platform 103. A processing server 102 receives an audit report from an auditor device 108 associated with an audit performing par

Description

Technical field The present application relates to a computer implemented method for processing audit reports by an audit platform. The audit reports may each relate to a smart contract code. The present application further relates to a computing device which may perform the method. Background The rise of decentralized systems has transformed how transactions, agreements, and operations are conducted. However, this rapid growth comes with significant challenges, particularly regarding the security and integrity of smart contracts—selfexecuting contracts that automatically enforce and execute contract terms. However, the success of this emerging landscape hinges on the integrity and reliability of smart contract audits that are performed to check for security vulnerabilities or other defects in smart contract codes. The current audit community is fragmented, characterized by a lack of transparency, and often shrouded in secrecy. This lack of standardization and accountability poses significant risks to the security of Web3 projects. The absence of a unified and verifiable secure framework for conducting and reporting smart contract audits creates several critical technical challenges for the Web3 ecosystem. Key technical challenges include: The lack of transparency and standardization undermines trust in the audit process, potentially leading to security vulnerabilities. Instances of fraud, hacks, and compromised smart contracts are common. Complexity in smart contract creation: the process of creating secure smart contracts often requires extensive technical knowledge, restricting access to those with programming skills. This barrier to entry prevents broader participation from individuals and businesses interested in leveraging blockchain technology. These challenges collectively contribute to a fragmented and unreliable audit landscape, hindering the growth and development of the Web3 ecosystem. Summary According to a first aspect, there is provide a computer implemented method for processing audit reports by an audit platform, the method comprising any one or more of the following steps: receiving, by a processing server from an auditor device associated with an audit performing party, an audit report related to a smart contract code, the smart contract code being associated with an audit requesting party and comprising information related to an evaluation of the smart contract code; transmitting, by the processing server, the audit report to a blockchain network for inclusion in a block and posting to a corresponding blockchain; and making the audit report available from the blockchain network, by the processing server, for access by other parties. The method of the present application therefore provides a method of securely storing an audit report in a blockchain network and making it available for view by other parties using an audit platform. By using blockchain storage the audit report cannot be altered once it is stored. This helps to improve data security and integrity of the report and may reduce the risk of fraud and hacking of the data. The method may further comprise: obtaining, by the processing server, the smart contract code to be audited; and sending, by the processing server, the smart contract code to the auditor device. Obtaining the smart contract code may comprise generating, by the processing server, the smart contract code. The audit platform may provide a development platform to allow the creation of a smart contract code. The development platform may be a no-code or low-code platform. This may allow users to generate a smart contract code without needing significant technical knowledge. This may empower non-technical users to participate in the decentralized ecosystem. It may also reduce the risk of introducing security vulnerabilities. Generating the smart contract code may comprise populating one or more smart contract templates using information provided by an audit requesting device associated the audit requesting party. By using templates, the risk of introducing security vulnerabilities in the smart contracts may be reduced compared to allowing users to code contracts themselves. The method may further comprise sending, by the processing server to a requesting device associated with the audit requesting party, one or more selectable audit performing party options. The selectable options may comprise auditor information associated with each audit performing party option. The method may further comprise receiving, at the processing server from the audit requesting device, a selection of the audit performing party from the selectable options. The audit platform may therefore provide a set of selectable options to allow an audit requesting party to choose a suitable auditor. The auditor information may comprise one or more metrics associated with the auditor device. The one or more metrics may be objective factors related to past audits carried out by the audit performing party. They may allow the audit requesting party to reach an informed choice. The auditor information may comprise auditor performance information. The auditor performance information may include subjective information (e.g. reviews and feedback) related to past audits carried out by the audit performing party. The method may further comprise: receiving, by the processing server, auditor performance information associated with an audit performing party; and transmitting the auditor performance information to a, or the, blockchain network for inclusion in a block of the, or a, blockchain. By storing the auditor performance information in a blockchain its accuracy and validity may be ensured. The method may further comprise registering a plurality of audit performing parties at the audit platform, including the audit performing party to which the smart contract code is sent. This may create a database of audit performing parties from which the audit requesting party may make a selection. Registering each of the plurality of audit performing parties may comprise: receiving, by the processing server from an auditor device associated with an audit performing party, a request to register on the audit platform, the request including auditor credentials related to the audit performing party; and verifying, by the processing server, the auditor credentials. Verifying the auditor information may comprise using verification information obtained, by the processing server, from a, or the, blockchain network. This may mean that potential auditors can be securely verified to reduce the risk of hacking and fraud. The method may further comprise generating, by the processing server, an audit smart contract between the audit requesting party and the audit performing partying. Generating the audit smart contract may comprise forwarding, by the processing server, communications between an audit requesting device and the auditor device. The audit platform may therefore facilitate communication between the audit requesting party and the audit performing party to generate an agreement between them. Generating the audit smart contract may comprise automatically generating, by the processing server, terms for agreement by both parties. This may allow an agreement to be reached efficiently. According to a second aspect, there is provided a computing device for processing audit reports, comprising one or more processors and a memory storing instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to: receive an audit report related to a smart contract code, the smart contract code being associated with an audit requesting party and comprising information related to an evaluation of the smart contract code; transmit the audit report to a blockchain network for inclusion in a block and posting to a corresponding blockchain; and make the audit report available from the blockchain network for access by other parties. The memory may further store instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to: obtain the smart contract code to be audited; and send, by the processing server, the smart contract code to the auditor device. Obtaining the smart contract may comprise generating, by the processing server, the smart contract code. Generating the smart contract code may comprise populating one or more smart contract templates using information provided by an audit requesting device associated the audit requesting party. The memory may further store instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to: send to an audit requesting device associated with the audit requesting party, one or more selectable audit performing party options, the selectable options comprising auditor information associated with each audit performing party option; and receive from the audit requesting device, a selection of the audit performing party from the selectable options. The auditor information may comprise one or more metrics associated with the auditor device. The auditor information comprises auditor performance information. The memory may further store instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to: receive auditor performance information associated with an audit performing party; and transmit the auditor performance information to a, or the, blockchain network for inclusion in a block of the, or a, blockchain. The memory may further store instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to register a plurality of audit performing parties at the audit platform, including the audit performing party to which the smart contract code is sent. Registering each of the plurality of audit performing parties may comprise: receiving, from an auditor device associated with an audit performing party, a request to register on the audit platform, the request including auditor credentials related to the audit performing party; and verifying, by the processing server, the auditor credentials. Verifying the auditor information may comprises using verification information obtained from a, or the, blockchain network. The memory further stores instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to: generate an audit smart contract between the audit requesting party and the audit performing party, wherein generating the audit smart contract comprises forwarding communications between an audit requesting device and the auditor device. According to a third aspect, the present application provides a computing device or system comprising one or more processors and one or more memories storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform the method of the first aspect (or as defined or claimed anywhere herein). According to a fourth aspect, the present application provides a computer program product, or non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method of the first aspect (or as defined or claimed anywhere herein). According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a system for processing audit reports, the system comprising the computing device of the second aspect, an auditor device and optionally an audit requesting device and further optionally a third-party device. The skilled person will appreciate that except where mutually exclusive, a feature described in relation to any one of the above aspects may be applied to any other aspect. Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of a system for processing smart contract audit reports: Figure 2 shows a method performed by a processing server of the system shown in Figure 1; Figures 3, 4 and 5 show a method performed by the system shown in Figure 1; and Figure 6 shows a computing device configured to carry out the method shown in Figure 2. Detailed Description The present application is directed to an audit platform for processing audit reports. The audit reports contain information related to an assessment of a smart contract code. By “smart contract code” we mean a computer code defining the terms of a digital contract. The terms of the contact may be automatically executed when predetermined terms and conditions are met. The audit report can include the results of an assessment performed on the smart contract code. That assessment may include an assessment of various factors such as potential vulnerabilities and security risks. The assessment (e.g. audit) is carried out by an “auditing party” carrying out an audit on the smart contract code. The present application may provide an auditing mechanism that may help improve the reliability, security, and integrity of smart contracts in the Web3 ecosystem. The present invention aims to provide a structured, transparent, and efficient auditing process that is decentralized and leverages blockchain features to enhance security and trust among users, stakeholders, and investors. The invention is particularly relevant to industries that utilize smart contracts for digital transactions, governance, supply chain management, finance, and other applications where trust and security are paramount. As Web 3.0 Commerce evolve, there is an increasing demand for robust auditing solutions that can assure users of the safety, security and efficacy of smart contracts. A system 100 for processing smart contract audit reports is illustrated in Figure 1. The system 100 comprises a processing server 102 configured to implement an auditing platform 103. The processing server comprises one or more computer processors and a memory storing computer executable instructions which, when performed by the processor, implement the functionality of the auditing platform. The system 100 further comprises an audit requesting device 104 associated with an audit requesting party 106. The audit requesting party may be someone who has generated a smart contract (either independently or via the auditing platform 103 as will be described later) and desires to have an audit carried out on it. The system 100 further comprises an auditor device 108 associated with an audit performing party 110. The audit performing party 110 may be someone who carries out audits on smart contracts and may have suitable credentials or qualifications to enable them to do so. The audit performing party may be registered with the audit platform as will be described later. The processing server 102, audit requesting device 104 and auditor device 108 are in communication with each other via a communications network 112. The communications network 112 may include one or a mixture of wired and wireless communication networks, including, for example, WiFi™, LAN, WAN (including the internet or enterprise networks), Bluetooth™, GSM, CDMA, 3G, 4G, or other wired or wireless data or communication protocol. The processing server 102 is also in communication (via the network 112) with a third-party device 114. The third-party device 114 is associated with a third party 115 who is independent from the audit requesting party and audit performing party. They may, for example, be an independent stakeholder who wishes to access the results of the audit performed on a smart contract. The system 100 may be in communication with any number of third part devices although only one is shown. The processing server 102 is further in communication (e.g. via the network 112) with a blockchain network 116. The blockchain network may comprise a plurality of nodes configured to generate and validate new blocks to be added to a blockchain that is associated with the blockchain network. Any suitable blockchain technology may be used to implement the present invention and the application is not limited to any specific type of blockchain technology. For example, the blockchain may form a distributed ledger with growing lists of records (blocks) that are securely linked together via cryptographic hashes. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, a timestamp, and transaction data. Since each block contains information about the previous block, they effectively form a chain (compare linked list data structure), with each additional block linking to the ones before it. The processing server 102 may be in communication with a single blockchain network as shown, or with a plurality of different blockchain networks each with an associated blockchain. The audit requesting, audit performing and third-party devices 104, 108, 110 may be any suitable computing device, including for example, a smart phone, laptop, desktop computer etc. The processing server may be any suitable computing device configured to implement the audit platform. It may be a single device as shown or be distributed over several computing systems. A method 200 performed by the processing server 102 to implement the audit platform 103 is illustrated in Figure 2. The method 200 comprises receiving, by the processing server 102, an audit report related to a smart contract code. The audit report is received from the auditor device 108 and is associated with a smart contract belonging to the audit requesting party 106. The audit report comprises information related to an evaluation of the smart contract code which has been performed by the audit performing party 108. The audit report may include the results of the assessment of various factors as discussed above. Those factors may include security risks or vulnerabilities that may be present in the code of the smart contract. Other types of assessment may however be carried out on the smart code and the results included in the audit report. The method 200 further comprises transmitting 204, by the processing server 102, the audit report to the blockchain network 116. Once received by the blockchain network 116, the information contained in the audit report is included in a block and posted to a blockchain. The method 200 further comprises making 206 the audit report available from the blockchain network 116. The audit report may be provided, by the processing server, to another party (i.e. not the audit performing party) that wishes to view the information it contains. The audit report may be made available by receiving a request to view it from a device such as the third-party device 114 or audit requesting device 104, accessing the audit report from the blockchain network and sending it to the third part device as will be described in more detail later. By storing audit reports on a blockchain, the audit processing platform 103 ensures that they are immutably stored - they cannot be altered or deleted by any party once they are added to a block of the blockchain. This immutability guarantees the integrity of the audit process, providing users with reliable and verifiable information about a smart contract. As the audit report is available to any third party the present invention provides a transparent, decentralized, and user-friendly auditing mechanism that mitigates risks and maintains data security. Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate a method 300 of processing an audit report that may be performed by the system 100. The method 300 includes steps carried out by the processing server 102 to implement the audit platform. This includes steps to register auditing parties with the audit platform, facilitate the creation of a smart contract by the audit requesting party, allow the audit requesting party to select a suitable audit performing party to assess the smart contract, generate an agreement to perform the audit, store the audit on the blockchain for later access once it is complete and receive feedback on the audit report. In Figures 3, 4 and 5 the steps shown in the column marked “Audit requesting party” are performed by the audit requesting device 104, steps shown in the column marked “Processing server” are performed by the processing server 102, steps shown in the column marked “Audit performing party” are performed by the auditor device 108 and steps shown in the column marked “Third parties” are performed by a third party device such as third-party device 114. The method 300 comprises registering 302 a plurality of audit performing parties with the audit platform 103. By registering audit performing parties, the audit platform can connect suitable auditing parties with an audit requesting party who is looking for someone to audit their smart contract. Registering each of the plurality of audit performing parties comprises sending 304, by an auditor device, a request to register on the audit platform 103. That request is received in step 306 by the processing server 102. The request to register may include auditor credentials associated with the audit performing party and may include any other information needed to identify the auditor device / party. Registering each of the audit performing parties further comprises verifying 308 the auditor credentials by the processing server 102. The verifying 308 may comprise using verification information obtained 310, by the processing server, from the blockchain network 116 (or another blockchain network). For example, the processing server 102 may access independently stored verification information which can be compared to that provided by the audit performing party registering with the platform to assess the veracity of the information being used to register. This may provide a decentralized verification process that reduces the risk of fraudulent claims of expertise, allowing users to confidently select auditors based on objective metrics and verified histories. Once verified, an account may be created for the audit requesting party with an associated username and login credentials. Similar accounts may be created for audit requesting parties and third parties to allow them to access the audit platform 103. A verification process may not be required for the audit requesting party or third parties, but one could be provided. The method 300 further comprises obtaining 320 a smart contract code that is to be processed by the audit platform 103. To obtain a smart contract code, the method 300 comprises generating 322 the smart contract code by the processing server 102 via the audit platform. The audit platform 103 may therefore facilitate the creation of a smart contract code by the audit requesting party 106. To generate 322 the smart contract code, the audit platform 103 may include a development platform with which the audit requesting party may interact to create a smart contract. The development platform may be a low-code or no-code platform. This may provide a smart contract builder which allows contracts to be created with little or no technical expertise. For example, little or no coding may need to be done by the audit requesting party to create the smart contract code. The development platform may comprise a user interface operable by the audit requesting party 106 via the audit requesting device 104 to create a smart contract code. The user interface may allow the user to drag-and-drop predefined / template elements to form a smart contract code. Generating 322 the smart contract code may comprise populating 324 one or more smart contract templates. The templates are populated using information sent 326 by the audit requesting device 104. The development platform may therefore offer templates and guided steps to ensure security best practices are followed. The audit platform 103 may provide an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that allows users to build smart contracts without coding knowledge. Moreover, pre-built templates may cover various use cases, ensuring users can create contracts that meet their specific needs. By using pre-built templates, the risk of introducing security vulnerabilities and / or errors within the smart contracts can be reduced. This may aid smart contract security. Generating 332 the smart contract code further comprises a step of performing 328 an automated security check process on the smart contract code generated by the development platform. Upon creation, the smart contract therefore undergoes automated security checks to identify potential vulnerabilities before deployment. This may be achieved through a combination of static analysis tools and best practice guidelines encoded into the audit platform 103. In some examples, the automated security check 328 may be absent. In the method shown in Figure 3, the audit platform 103 facilities the creation of a smart contract code. In other examples however, the smart contract code may be obtained in step 322 by receiving an independently generated smart contract code. For example, the audit requesting party 106 may send or upload a completed smart contract code to the processing server 102 from the audit requesting device 104. The method 300 continues in Figure 4. The method 300 further comprises allowing 330 the audit requesting party 106 to select a suitable audit performing party to assess the smart contract. The method 300 comprises sending 322, by the processing server 102 to the audit requesting device 104, one or more selectable audit performing party options. The selectable audit performing party options may correspond to one or more of the plurality of audit performing parties who have registered with the audit platform 103 in step 302. This may allow the audit requesting party 106 to choose an auditing performing party 110 from those that have already registered with the audit platform 103. The selectable options sent to the audit requesting device 106 may comprise auditor information associated with each audit performing party. The auditor information may comprise one or more metrics associated with a respective audit performing party. The metrics may include any suitable information that may assist the audit requesting party 104 in deciding on a suitable party to audit their smart contract code. This may include objective metrics associated with an audit performing party, such as the number of audits they have performed, the type of contracts they have audited, the average time taken to perform an audit, the complexity of audits they have carried out etc. The auditor information may additionally or alternatively comprise auditor performance information. The auditor performance information may include subjective information related to an auditing party’s previous performance in carrying out audits. For example, the performance information may include reviews or feedback on previous audits carried out by that audit performing party. The auditor performance information and / or metrics may be stored in association with each audit performing party registered with the audit platform. The auditor performance information and / or metrics may be stored in a remote or local database accessible by the processing server 102. Additionally, or alternatively, the auditor performance information and / or metrics may be stored in a block of the blockchain network (or other blockchain network). This may ensure the auditor information is securely stored. Referring again to Figure 4, allowing 330 the audit requesting party 106 to select a suitable audit performing party comprises receiving 334 the one or more selectable options at the audit requesting device 104. The one or more selectable options may be displayed at the audit requesting device 104 and a user input received to make a selection. The result of the selection is then sent 336 by the audit requesting device 104 to the processing server 102, where it is received at step 338. The method 300 further comprises steps to generate 340 an agreement to perform the audit. The agreement to perform the audit may be a smart contract code which executes automatically when predefined conditions are met. The method 300 comprises generating 342, by the processing server 102, an audit smart contract between the audit requesting party 106 and the audit performing party 110. Generating the audit smart contract comprises forwarding 344, by the processing server 102, communications 348, 350 between the audit requesting device 104 and the auditor device 108. Multiple communications may be forwarded to agree a contract. In some examples, generating 342 the audit smart contract may comprise automatically generating terms (e.g. terms, conditions, delivery timelines, payment conditions / schedules (e.g. using cryptocurrency)) by the audit platform for agreement by both parties. The audit platform 103 may therefore streamline the contracting process between auditors and clients through a decentralized deal manager, which automates agreement terms and payment conditions using smart contracts. This may reduce the risk of disputes and ensures timely, transparent transactions. In some examples, the agreement to perform the audit may be sent by the processing server 102 for storage at the blockchain network 116 (or at another blockchain network). In some examples, a built-in dispute resolution mechanism may allow for transparent handling of any conflicts. It can be triggered automatically if conditions defined in the audit contract are not met, ensuring fair outcomes based on agreed-upon terms. The method 300 continues in Figure 5. Once the agreement to perform the audit has been generated, the method 300 comprises steps to store 360 the resulting audit report on the blockchain for later access by third parties. As can be seen in Figure 5, the method 300 comprises sending 362, by the processing server 102, the smart contract code to the auditor device 108. The smart contract code is received 364 at the auditor device 108 so that it is available to the audit performing party 110 to carry out the agreed audit. The audit performing party 110 then performs an analysis of the received smart contract code. They may employ various techniques to identify potential vulnerabilities and security risks. They may follow standardized auditing methodologies to ensure comprehensive evaluation. The audit report may be entered into a standardised reporting format by the audit performing party. This may help ensure consistency and clarity in the audit findings. The process of carrying out a suitable audit would be understood by the skilled person and so is outside of the scope of this application. When an audit performing party completes an audit, the report is generated and encrypted. This may be done at the audit performing device 108. The audit report may contain identified issues and recommendations. The result of the audit (i.e. the audit report) is obtained 366 by the auditor device 108 (e.g. via input from the audit performing party 110). Once obtained, it is sent 368 to the processing server 102. Once received 370 at the processing server 102, the audit report is hashed (e.g. using SHA-256) and then transmitted 372 to the block chain network 116 to be stored in a block of the blockchain as described above. Utilizing blockchains inherent timestamping feature, each audit report is time-stamped upon creation, providing a reliable record of when the audit was completed. In some examples, additional supporting information may be sent to the blockchain to be stored in addition to the audit report itself. For example, essential project information and other documentation may be published on the blockchain in a similar way to the audit report and also made available by the audit platform to third parties. Once stored, the audit report is made available 374 from the blockchain network to third parties who wish to access the information it contains. For example, a third-party device 114 may send 376 a request to the processing server 102 to access the audit report from the blockchain network 116. The request is received 378 at the processing server 102. The third party may provide security credentials to access the audit. The audit requesting party 104 may define access permissions for the published audit report (or other published documents) to control who can view or edit specific pieces of it. The required audit report is then accessed 380 from the blockchain network 116 and sent 382 to the third-party device 114. Once received 384 at the third-party device 114 the audit report may be displayed to the third party 110. The audit platform 103 may therefore allow stakeholders to access reports anytime, ensuring informed decisionmaking and fostering greater collaboration. Referring again to Figure 5, the method 300 further comprises steps to obtain 390 and store feedback on the audit report. The method 300 comprises obtaining 392 auditor performance information associated with the audit report. The performance information may be sent 394 from the audit requesting device 104 to the processing server 102. The performance information is received 396 by the processing server and may be stored to be used to send auditor information (e.g. in step 330) when allowing an audit requesting party to select an auditor. The performance information may therefore provide information on the past performance of the auditing party. The auditor performance information may be transmitted 398 to the blockchain network 116 (or another blockchain network) for inclusion in a block of the blockchain for storage. In other examples, the performance information may be stored in a remote or local database accessible by the processing server 102. The method 300 therefore provides a decentralized reputation system, allowing users to rate and review auditors based on their performance. This feedback is recorded on a blockchain, creating a transparent track record for each auditor. Although the feedback is shown being provided by the audit requesting party, it may be provided by any third party who has viewed the audit report. The method 300 is intended to be an example only. One or more of the steps 302, 320, 330, 340 and 390 may be omitted. The order of the steps in Figures 3, 4 and 5 is also to be understood as one example only. The order of steps 302, 320, 330, 340, 360 and 390 may be different in other examples. The smart contract may be obtained 320, for example, after an audit performing party is selected 330. The steps of the method may be repeated to allow further audits to be processed. The systems and method steps described herein may be implemented in software executed by a processor, hardware or a combination of the two. In some embodiments, the systems and method steps described herein may be implemented by one or more computing devices. Such a computing device 1000 is illustrated in Figure 6, which includes one or more processors 1002, input / output interfaces 1004, memory 1006 and network interfaces 1008. The processors may be provided as part of a processing unit which may be provided with one or more suitable processors. The memory may include computer or machine-readable memory forming a computer / machine readable medium. The network interfaces may be configured for communication via any suitable network such as the communications network 112. The skilled person will appreciate that the memory may be provided by a variety of components including a volatile memory, a hard drive, a non-volatile memory, etc. The memory may store a set of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. The computer-readable media may not include temporary computer readable media (transitory media), such as a modulated data signal and a carrier wave. The processing server 102 may comprise a computing device as shown in Figure 6. The memory 1006 may therefore comprise computer readable instructions stored in the memory 1006 to allow the computing device to implement the audit platform. For example, the memory 1006 may include computer readable instructions that, when performed by the one or more processors 1002, cause the processor(s) to perform the steps of the methods described above (e.g. the method 200 and the steps of the method 300 performed by the processing server). In some examples, the memory may comprise modules such as any one or more of: a registration module for causing the processor(s) 1002 to perform step 302, a smart contract code obtaining module for causing the processor(s) 1002 to perform step 320, a auditor selection module for causing the processor(s) 1002 to perform step 330, an agreement generation module for causing the processor(s) 1002 to perform step 340, a storing module for causing the processor(s) 1002 to performs step 360, and a feedback module for causing the processor(s) 1002 to perform step 390. Each of the audit requesting device 104, auditor device 108 and third-party device 115 may each also comprise a computing device as shown in Figure 6. The memory 1006 of each device may comprise computer readable instructions that when performed by the processor(s) 1002 cause the processor(s) to perform the steps of the method 300 forthat respective device. For example, the memory may comprise software modules configured to implement a software application with which the respective device may communicate and interact with the processing server 102. In one aspect of the present application, there is provided a machine / computer readable medium or computer program product containing instructions which, when read by a machine or computer, cause any of the methods, or parts thereof, described or claimed herein to be performed. The machine readable medium may be any of the following: a CDROM; a DVD ROM / RAM (including -R / -RW or +R / +RW); a hard drive; a memory (including a USB drive; an SD card; a compact flash card or the like); a transmitted signal (including an Internet download, ftp file transfer of the like); a wire; etc. The machine readable medium may be a non-transitory computer readable medium. Various modifications will be apparent to the skilled person without departing form the 5 scope of the claims. The embodiments described above should be understood as exemplary only. Any feature of any of the aspects or embodiments of the disclosure may be employed separately or in combination with any other feature of the same or different aspect or embodiment of the disclosure and the disclosure includes any feature or combination of features disclosed herein. 10

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for processing audit reports by an audit platform, the method comprising:receiving, by a processing server from an auditor device associated with an audit performing party, an audit report related to a smart contract code, the smart contract code being associated with an audit requesting party and comprising information related to an evaluation of the smart contract code;transmitting, by the processing server, the audit report to a blockchain network for inclusion in a block and posting to a corresponding blockchain; andmaking the audit report available from the blockchain network, by the processing server, for access by other parties.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:obtaining, by the processing server, the smart contract code to be audited; and sending, by the processing server, the smart contract code to the auditor device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining the smart contract code comprises generating, by the processing server, the smart contract code, wherein generating the smart contract code comprises populating one or more smart contract templates using information provided an audit requesting device associated the audit requesting party.

4. The method of claim 2 or claim 3, further comprising:sending, by the processing server to an audit requesting device associated with the audit requesting party, one or more selectable audit performing party options, the selectable options comprising auditor information associated with each audit performing party option; andreceiving, at the processing server from the audit requesting device, a selection of the audit performing party from the selectable options.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the auditor information comprises one or more metrics associated with the auditor device.

6. The method of claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the auditor information comprises auditor performance information and wherein the method further comprises:receiving, by the processing server, auditor performance information associated with an audit performing party; andtransmitting the auditor performance information to a, or the, blockchain network for inclusion in a block of the, or a, blockchain.

7. The method of any of claims 2 to 6, further comprising registering a plurality of audit performing parties at the audit platform, including the audit performing party to which the smart contract code is sent.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein registering each of the plurality of audit performing parties comprises:receiving, by the processing server from an auditor device associated with an audit performing party, a request to register on the audit platform, the request including auditor credentials related to the audit performing party; andverifying, by the processing server, the auditor credentials.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein verifying the auditor information comprises using verification information obtained, by the processing server, from a, or the, blockchain network.

10. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising generating, by the processing server, an audit smart contract between the audit requesting party and the audit performing party, wherein generating the audit smart contract comprises forwarding, by the processing server, communications between an audit requesting device and the auditor device.

11. A computing device for processing audit reports, comprising one or more processors and a memory storing instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to:receive an audit report related to a smart contract code, the smart contract code being associated with an audit requesting party and comprising information related to an evaluation of the smart contract code;transmit the audit report to a blockchain network for inclusion in a block and posting to a corresponding blockchain; andmake the audit report available from the blockchain network for access by other parties.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the memory further stores instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to:obtain the smart contract code to be audited; andsend, by the processing server, the smart contract code to the auditor device.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein obtaining the smart contract comprises generating, by the processing server, the smart contract code, wherein generating the smart contract code comprises populating one or more smart contract templates using information provided by an audit requesting device associated the audit requesting party.

14. The computing device of claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the memory further stores instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to:send to an audit requesting device associated with the audit requesting party, one or more selectable audit performing party options, the selectable options comprising auditor information associated with each audit performing party option; andreceive from the audit requesting device, a selection of the audit performing party from the selectable options.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the auditor information comprises one or more metrics associated with the auditor device.

16. The computing device of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the auditor information comprises auditor performance information and wherein the memory further stores instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to:receive auditor performance information associated with an audit performing party; andtransmit the auditor performance information to a, or the, blockchain network for inclusion in a block of the, or a, blockchain.

17. The computing device of any of claims 12 to 16, wherein the memory further stores instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to register a plurality of audit performing parties at the audit platform, including the audit performing party to which the smart contract code is sent.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein registering each of the plurality of audit performing parties comprises:receiving, from an auditor device associated with an audit performing party, a request to register on the audit platform, the request including auditor credentials related to the audit performing party; andverifying, by the processing server, the auditor credentials.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein verifying the auditor information comprises using verification information obtained from a, or the, blockchain network.

20. The computing device of any of claims 11 to 19, wherein the memory further stores instructions which, when performed by the one or more processors, causes the computing device to:generate an audit smart contract between the audit requesting party and the audit performing party, wherein generating the audit smart contract comprises forwarding communications between an audit requesting device and the auditor device.

21. A machine / computer readable medium or computer program product containing instructions which, when read by a machine or computer, cause the machine or computer to carry out the method of any of claims 1 to 10.

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