2/5
## Testing User Operation Validation in Your Smart Contract Account In the world of account abstraction (ERC-4337), ensuring your smart contract account correctly validates user operations is paramount. This lesson focuses on a critical test, `testValidationOfUserOps`, designed to verify that your `MinimalAccount.sol` contract can successfully validate a user operation when invoked by the `EntryPoint` contract. This step is crucial for security and proper functioning within the ERC-4337 ecosystem. The core logic of this test involves three main steps: 1. Signing a user operation with the account owner's key. 2. Simulating a call from the `EntryPoint` to the `validateUserOp` function on your smart contract account, passing the signed user operation. 3. Asserting that the `validateUserOp` function returns the expected value, signifying successful validation. Let's break down the `testValidationOfUserOps` function, which follows the standard Arrange-Act-Assert pattern. ### The `testValidationOfUserOps` Function: A Deep Dive This function meticulously prepares the ground, executes the action, and then verifies the outcome. **1. Arrange Phase: Setting the Stage** To streamline our testing process, much of the setup code is efficiently reused from a previous test, `testRecoverSignedOp`. This phase prepares all necessary components for the validation call. * **Initial State Check:** We begin by asserting that the `minimalAccount` initially holds zero USDC, ensuring a clean state for our test. ```solidity assertEq(usdc.balanceOf(address(minimalAccount)), 0); ``` * **Operation Parameters:** We define the parameters for the user operation. In this example, the operation intends to mint USDC to the `minimalAccount`. * `dest`: The target address for the operation (the USDC contract). * `value`: The amount of Ether to send with the call (0 in this case). * `functionData`: The encoded call data for the `mint` function on the `IERC20Mock` (USDC) contract. ```solidity address dest = address(usdc); uint256 value = 0; bytes memory functionData = abi.encodeWithSelector(IERC20Mock.mint.selector, address(minimalAccount), AMOUNT); ``` * **Encoding `executeCallData`:** This is the payload that the `MinimalAccount.execute` function will eventually process. It bundles the `dest`, `value`, and `functionData`. ```solidity bytes memory executeCallData = abi.encodeWithSelector(MinimalAccount.execute.selector, dest, value, functionData); ``` * **Generating a Signed `PackedUserOperation`:** Using a helper function (`sendPackedUserOp.generateSignedUserOperation`), we create a `PackedUserOperation` (named `packedUserOp`). This structure contains the `executeCallData` and, crucially, is signed by the designated owner of the `minimalAccount`. ```solidity PackedUserOperation memory packedUserOp = sendPackedUserOp.generateSignedUserOperation(executeCallData, helperConfig.getConfig()); ``` * **Calculating `userOperationHash`:** The `EntryPoint` contract calculates a unique hash for each user operation. We replicate this by calling `getUserOpHash` on an `IEntryPoint` interface, passing our `packedUserOp`. ```solidity bytes32 userOperationHash = IEntryPoint(helperConfig.getConfig().entryPoint).getUserOpHash(packedUserOp); ``` * **Defining `missingAccountFunds`:** This parameter is part of the `validateUserOp` signature and relates to the pre-funding mechanism where the account might need to compensate the `EntryPoint` for gas. For this specific test, its precise value isn't critical to the validation logic itself, so an arbitrary value like `1e18` is used. The focus here is on the account's ability to correctly process the validation request, not the gas payment details. ```solidity uint256 missingAccountFunds = 1e18; ``` Here's the complete Arrange section: ```solidity function testValidationOfUserOps() public { // Arrange assertEq(usdc.balanceOf(address(minimalAccount)), 0); address dest = address(usdc); uint256 value = 0; bytes memory functionData = abi.encodeWithSelector(IERC20Mock.mint.selector, address(minimalAccount), AMOUNT); bytes memory executeCallData = abi.encodeWithSelector(MinimalAccount.execute.selector, dest, value, functionData); PackedUserOperation memory packedUserOp = sendPackedUserOp.generateSignedUserOperation(executeCallData, helperConfig.getConfig()); bytes32 userOperationHash = IEntryPoint(helperConfig.getConfig().entryPoint).getUserOpHash(packedUserOp); uint256 missingAccountFunds = 1e18; ``` **2. Act Phase: Simulating the EntryPoint's Call** This is where the core interaction occurs. We simulate the `EntryPoint` contract calling the `validateUserOp` function on our `MinimalAccount`. * **`vm.prank(address(helperConfig.getConfig().entryPoint));`**: This Foundry cheatcode is essential. The `validateUserOp` function in `MinimalAccount.sol` includes a `requireFromEntryPoint` modifier. This modifier ensures that only the `EntryPoint` contract can successfully call this function by checking `msg.sender`. The `vm.prank` cheatcode spoofs the `msg.sender` for the *next* contract call, making it appear as if the `EntryPoint` (specified by `helperConfig.getConfig().entryPoint`) is the caller. * **`uint256 validationData = minimalAccount.validateUserOp(packedUserOp, userOperationHash, missingAccountFunds);`**: With the `msg.sender` correctly spoofed, we call `validateUserOp` on the `minimalAccount`. We pass the `packedUserOp` we prepared, its corresponding `userOperationHash`, and the `missingAccountFunds`. The return value, `validationData`, is captured for assertion. The Act section: ```solidity // Act vm.prank(address(helperConfig.getConfig().entryPoint)); uint256 validationData = minimalAccount.validateUserOp( packedUserOp, userOperationHash, missingAccountFunds ); ``` **3. Assert Phase: Verifying the Outcome** The final step is to assert that the `validateUserOp` function behaved as expected. * **Understanding Validation Return Values:** In our `MinimalAccount.sol` (and its associated `Helpers.sol`), `SIG_VALIDATION_SUCCESS` is defined as `0`, while `SIG_VALIDATION_FAILED` is `1`. The internal `_validateSignature` function within `MinimalAccount.sol`, which is called by `validateUserOp`, returns `0` if the signature within the `packedUserOp` correctly matches the account's owner. * **`assertEq(validationData, 0);`**: This assertion checks if the `validationData` returned by `validateUserOp` is `0`. A value of `0` signifies that the user operation was successfully validated (i.e., the signature was correct). The Assert section: ```solidity // Assert assertEq(validationData, 0); } ``` It's worth noting that the ERC-4337 standard allows `validationData` to be a more complex packed `uint256`. This packed value can convey richer information, such as a `sigAuthorizer`, `validUntil` (timestamp for operation expiry), and `validAfter` (timestamp for when the operation becomes valid), as hinted in the `IAccount.sol` interface comments. However, for this minimal implementation, we simplify this to a binary outcome: `0` for success and `1` for failure. ### Running the Test To execute this specific test and confirm its successful execution, you would use the following Foundry command: `forge test -mt testValidationOfUserOps` A passing test indicates that your `MinimalAccount.sol`'s `validateUserOp` function correctly validates a properly signed user operation when called by the `EntryPoint`. ### Key Concepts Recap This test highlights several fundamental concepts in account abstraction: * **`validateUserOp` Function:** This is the cornerstone function within a smart contract account responsible for validating incoming user operations. It typically checks signatures and nonces (though nonce checking was commented out in this particular `MinimalAccount` implementation for simplicity in earlier stages) and can also handle logic related to pre-funding requirements. * **`EntryPoint` Interaction:** The `EntryPoint` contract is the sole, trusted entity designated to call `validateUserOp` on smart contract accounts. This controlled interaction is key to the ERC-4337 architecture. * **`vm.prank` for Testing:** When testing functions that restrict callers based on `msg.sender` (like those with an "onlyEntryPoint" modifier), Foundry's `vm.prank` cheatcode is indispensable for simulating calls from specific addresses. * **Packed Validation Data:** The `uint256` returned by `validateUserOp` serves as a status indicator. While it can be a simple success/failure flag in minimal implementations, the standard allows for it to be a packed data structure conveying more granular validation information. * **User Operation Lifecycle:** This test fits into the broader lifecycle of a user operation: 1. A user signs a `UserOperation`. 2. A Bundler (an off-chain actor in an Alt-Mempool) submits this `UserOperation` to the `EntryPoint` contract on-chain. 3. The `EntryPoint` calls `validateUserOp` on the target smart contract account. 4. If validation is successful, the `EntryPoint` proceeds to execute the operation. Successfully passing `testValidationOfUserOps` is a significant milestone, confirming a critical piece of your account abstraction wallet's security and functional correctness. ### What's Next? With user operation validation confirmed, the subsequent step is to test the execution phase. The upcoming test, `testEntryPointCanExecuteCommands`, will verify that the `EntryPoint` can take a validated user operation and successfully execute the intended command (e.g., the USDC mint) on the smart contract account. This aligns with the ERC-4337 flow where Bundlers submit operations to the `EntryPoint`, which then orchestrates validation and execution.
An indispensable security walkthrough to Testing User Operation Validation in Your Smart Contract Account - Bolster your ERC-4337 smart account's security by mastering the `testValidationOfUserOps` test, ensuring correct validation of EntryPoint-invoked user operations. You'll practice signing user ops, simulating EntryPoint calls via `vm.prank`, and asserting expected validation results.
Previous lesson
Previous
Next lesson
Next
Give us feedback
Course Overview
About the course
Advanced smart contract development
How to develop a stablecoin
How to develop a DeFi protocol
How to develop a DAO
Advanced smart contracts testing
Fuzz testing
Manual verification
Web3 Developer Relations
$85,000 - $125,000 (avg. salary)
Web3 developer
$60,000 - $150,000 (avg. salary)
Smart Contract Engineer
$100,000 - $150,000 (avg. salary)
Smart Contract Auditor
$100,000 - $200,000 (avg. salary)
Security researcher
$49,999 - $120,000 (avg. salary)
Web3 engineer, educator, and Cyfrin co-founder. Patrick's smart contract development and security courses have helped hundreds of thousands of engineers kickstarting their careers into web3.
Guest lecturers:
Last updated on June 6, 2025
Duration: 36min
Duration: 3h 06min
Duration: 5h 02min
Duration: 6h 02min
Duration: 2h 47min
Duration: 1h 23min
Duration: 4h 28min
Duration: 1h 19min
Duration: 1h 10min
Course Overview
About the course
Advanced smart contract development
How to develop a stablecoin
How to develop a DeFi protocol
How to develop a DAO
Advanced smart contracts testing
Fuzz testing
Manual verification
Web3 Developer Relations
$85,000 - $125,000 (avg. salary)
Web3 developer
$60,000 - $150,000 (avg. salary)
Smart Contract Engineer
$100,000 - $150,000 (avg. salary)
Smart Contract Auditor
$100,000 - $200,000 (avg. salary)
Security researcher
$49,999 - $120,000 (avg. salary)
Web3 engineer, educator, and Cyfrin co-founder. Patrick's smart contract development and security courses have helped hundreds of thousands of engineers kickstarting their careers into web3.
Guest lecturers:
Last updated on June 6, 2025