Detection of Vulnerabilities in Smart Contracts with LLMs: A Comparison between Gemini 2.0 Flash and GPT-4

  • Felipe Mello Fonseca CEFET-RJ
  • Pedro Henrique Gonzalez UFRJ
  • Diogo Silveira Mendonça CEFET-RJ

Abstract


Automated vulnerability detection in smart contracts is a significant challenge for the security of decentralized systems. This work investigates the effectiveness of Large Language Models (LLMs), especially Gemini 2.0 Flash, in this task. The methodology is based on experimental replication using the SmartBugs Curated dataset, allowing a comparative analysis with GPT-4. The results indicate that, although LLMs perform well in initial screening, they still face limitations in analyses that require deeper semantic reasoning of the execution logic. It is concluded that these models can support the auditing process, but validation by human experts remains essential. Future directions are also pointed out, such as the refinement of prompts and specialized analyses by vulnerability category.

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Published
2026-05-25
FONSECA, Felipe Mello; GONZALEZ, Pedro Henrique; MENDONÇA, Diogo Silveira. Detection of Vulnerabilities in Smart Contracts with LLMs: A Comparison between Gemini 2.0 Flash and GPT-4. In: BLOCKCHAIN WORKSHOP: THEORY, TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS (WBLOCKCHAIN), 9. , 2026, Praia do Forte/BA. Anais [...]. Porto Alegre: Sociedade Brasileira de Computação, 2026 . p. 43-56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/wblockchain.2026.23103.