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Everything you need to grow, get recognized, and level up. This page covers the systems that power your journey through Cantina and Spearbit - designed to make expectations clear, reward great work, and unlock the next level of opportunity.

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Spearbit Promotion Process

This section outlines the advancement path through Spearbit’s tiered researcher system. Understanding these tiers helps researchers plan their career growth and understand what’s expected at each level.

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Researcher Tiers

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Security Researcher (SR)

The entry point into the Spearbit network. SRs demonstrate solid security fundamentals and the ability to find meaningful vulnerabilities. What we look for:
  • Consistent track record of finding valid vulnerabilities
  • Strong technical writing in findings
  • Ability to work independently on codebases

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Associate Security Researcher (ASR)

A stepping stone between SR and LSR. ASRs have demonstrated above-average performance and are building toward lead researcher capabilities. What we look for:
  • Sustained high performance in audits and competitions
  • Broader technical scope and deeper protocol understanding
  • Early signs of leadership and mentorship

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Lead Security Researcher (LSR)

The highest tier in the network. LSRs are trusted to lead complex engagements and represent Spearbit’s quality standard. What we look for:
  • Exceptional track record across multiple engagement types
  • Ability to scope, lead, and deliver complex audits
  • Mentorship of junior researchers
  • Technical excellence and strong communication skills

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Advancement Criteria

Promotion decisions are based on:
  1. Performance data – Findings quality, quantity, and consistency across engagements
  2. Technical breadth – Ability to audit diverse protocol types and architectures
  3. Collaboration – Working effectively with clients and other researchers
  4. Reliability – Meeting deadlines and maintaining professionalism

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Benefits by Tier

Higher tiers unlock:
  • Access to more prestigious and complex engagements
  • Higher compensation rates
  • Leadership opportunities on audits
  • Influence on Spearbit’s direction and methodology
  • Recognition within the broader security community

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How to Progress

To maximize your chances of advancement:
  • Deliver high-quality, well-written findings
  • Take on a variety of protocol types and complexity levels
  • Be responsive and professional in all communications
  • Seek feedback and continuously improve your methodology
  • Help mentor newer researchers when opportunities arise
For specific questions about your tier status or advancement path, reach out to the Spearbit team directly.

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Reputation System

At Cantina, our mission is to reward researchers who consistently demonstrate technical rigor and valuable impact. The Reputation Score system is central to that mission. It’s a dynamic metric that reflects your reliability, quality of submissions, and track record over time - helping top performers stand out and projects assess findings faster. You can view your reputation score directly on your Cantina profile.

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Why Reputation Scores Matter

Researchers with a reputation score ≥ 80 are exempt from submitting POCs for medium and high severity findings in public competitions. This trust-based system significantly reduces friction for top contributors, while preserving the signal that POCs provide.

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How the Reputation Score Works

All researchers start at a baseline of 50 points. Your score moves up or down based on the severity and accuracy of your submissions, as well as the quality of your writeups. The score is capped between 0 and 100.

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Positive Contributions

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Negative Outcomes

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Quality Multiplier

Each submission is evaluated and tagged with a quality score, which modifies the base points: Spam findings are not eligible for quality multipliers - they always incur the full –5 penalty.

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Examples

Example 1 - A high severity bug is confirmed with Level 3 quality.
  • Base: +5
  • Quality Bonus: +1 (20% of 5)
  • Total: +6
  • Final Score: 50 → 56
Example 2 - A medium severity bug is rejected with Level 1 quality.
  • Base: –3
  • Quality Bonus: +0.3 (–10% of –3)
  • Total: –2.7
  • Final Score: 50 → 47.3
Example 3 - You submit a spam finding.
  • Base: –5
  • Quality not applied
  • Final Score: 50 → 45

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Earning Trust, One Submission at a Time

Reputation isn’t just about climbing a leaderboard - it’s a signal to Cantina, Spearbit, and our clients that you’re a trusted operator. Your score affects access to private opportunities, eligibility for Fellowship tiers, and administrative overhead (like the POC requirement).