SEAL’s Safe Harbor Framework Gives White Hats Legal Cover

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Crypto security nonprofit SEAL (Security Alliance) has rolled out its “Safe Harbor Agreement,” a legal framework launched in 2024 to give ethical hackers — or “white hats” — clear protection during active exploits.

The initiative arose from the 2022 Nomad bridge hack, when some white hats hesitated to act for fear of legal exposure as $190 million was drained. Under Safe Harbor, white hats can temporarily seize stolen funds to protect users if they return assets within 72 hours. Bounties are capped at 10% of recovered funds (up to $1 million).

SEAL’s framework aims to remove legal uncertainty, encourage faster responses during hacks, and raise baseline security standards across crypto.