The Ronin blockchain, designed specifically for Web3 gaming, has unveiled a new security infrastructure aimed at safeguarding users from scams and malicious smart contracts. Central to the upgrade is the introduction of "Mavis Badges" - a visual trust system identifying safe applications and transactions.

Ronin's novel domain name service now displays different badges to users when they interact with decentralized apps (dapps) and smart contracts deployed on the gaming-focused EVM chain. The badges serve as cues for users to verify the security posture before signing transactions.

The top-tier "Mavis Badge" will be displayed when users interact with first-party games, apps and smart contracts created directly by Ronin's founders Sky Mavis, the team behind popular Web3 game Axie Infinity. Seeing this badge indicates the smart contract interaction has been audited and deemed safe.

A "Mavis Friends Badge" will appear for third-party dapps and games that have passed certain security checks or received validation from vetted Ronin partners. While not a guarantee of full safety, this badge signifies a level of trusted oversight by established platform participants.

However, when users encounter previously unverified smart contracts on Ronin, they'll see an "Unknown Badge" - a bright red warning sign that the interaction poses potential security risks. In such cases, Ronin cautions users to exercise extreme discretion and ensure rigorous vetting before signing any transactions.

Ronin's Mavis Badges are viewable across the network's infrastructure, including directly in the Ronin Wallet user interface when transactions are pending signature.

"We've implemented this trust badging system to provide users with clear visual cues about the security posture of every smart contract interaction on Ronin," stated the project's security lead Kevin Wu. "It will help prevent inadvertent approvals of malicious dapps as the Web3 gaming ecosystem grows."

The new safeguards arrive several months after Ronin suffered a $9.7 million hack in which anonymous attackers were able to compromise the project's Ethereum bridge and siphon funds to the Tornado Cash mixing service.

While unrelated to Ronin's core blockchain security or user assets held on the network itself, the bridge incident underscored potential Web3 vulnerabilities as gaming dapps rise in popularity and economic throughput.

By empowering users with intuitive security signals and trust cues, Ronin aims to raise the collective security consciousness of Web3 gaming communities as adoption scales. The badges create a framework for verified dapps to build reputational credibility, while allowing Ronin to quarantine unverified smart contracts as potentially unsafe.

As the bridge between crypto and gaming continues converging, balancing usability with robust security models will be paramount for onboarding mainstream audiences to Web3 entertainment experiences. With its new trust badges, Ronin is positioning itself as an early innovator in tackling this key usability challenge for blockchain gaming.