CVE-2018-10376 in SmartMesh
Summary
by MITRE
An integer overflow in the transferProxy function of a smart contract implementation for SmartMesh (aka SMT), an Ethereum ERC20 token, allows attackers to accomplish an unauthorized increase of digital assets via crafted _fee and _value parameters, as exploited in the wild in April 2018, aka the "proxyOverflow" issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2024
The CVE-2018-10376 vulnerability represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the SmartMesh token smart contract implementation that directly compromised the integrity of digital asset management on the Ethereum blockchain. This vulnerability specifically affected the transferProxy function, which serves as a critical component for facilitating token transfers within the SmartMesh ecosystem. The flaw emerged from improper input validation and arithmetic operations that failed to account for potential overflow conditions when processing transaction parameters. The vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during April 2018, demonstrating its real-world impact and the urgency of addressing such smart contract security gaps. The issue is classified under CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions, highlighting the fundamental nature of this class of vulnerability in blockchain smart contracts where mathematical operations directly impact asset values.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the transferProxy function's handling of two critical parameters: _fee and _value, which are used to calculate transaction costs and transfer amounts respectively. When these parameters exceed the maximum representable value for the integer data type being used, the arithmetic operation wraps around to produce unexpected results. This overflow condition allows attackers to manipulate the calculation logic in such a way that they can artificially inflate the amount of tokens they can transfer or claim as fees, effectively creating unauthorized digital assets. The vulnerability demonstrates the classic pattern of unchecked integer arithmetic where developers failed to implement proper bounds checking or overflow detection mechanisms before performing mathematical operations on user-supplied values. This flaw particularly affects the ERC20 token standard implementation where precise mathematical calculations are essential for maintaining accurate balances and transaction integrity.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-10376 extends beyond simple financial loss to compromise the fundamental trust and security model of the SmartMesh token ecosystem. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to drain funds from the smart contract by manipulating the _fee and _value parameters to trigger the integer overflow condition, resulting in unauthorized token creation or transfer. The vulnerability's exploitation in the wild during April 2018 indicates that threat actors were actively monitoring and targeting this specific flaw, demonstrating the commercial incentive for attacking such critical infrastructure. Organizations and users who held SMT tokens were directly impacted by this vulnerability, as the security breach could result in immediate financial losses and potential long-term damage to the token's value and reputation within the Ethereum ecosystem. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves data manipulation through smart contract vulnerabilities, and T1587.001, representing the development of tools for exploitation of blockchain systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-10376 require comprehensive code review and security auditing of smart contract implementations to identify and remediate integer overflow conditions. The most effective approach involves implementing proper bounds checking and using safe arithmetic operations that explicitly handle overflow conditions through libraries such as OpenZeppelin's SafeMath or similar implementations. Smart contract developers should adopt defensive programming practices including input validation, explicit type checking, and comprehensive testing of boundary conditions to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security audits and formal verification processes for smart contracts before deployment, particularly for critical financial applications. Organizations should also implement monitoring systems to detect unusual transaction patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and maintain emergency response procedures for rapid patch deployment when vulnerabilities are identified. The remediation process typically involves upgrading the smart contract code to use overflow-safe operations and re-auditing the entire contract implementation to ensure no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the codebase.