CVE-2018-13076 in Betcash
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for Betcash (BC), an Ethereum token, has an integer overflow that allows the owner of the contract to set the balance of an arbitrary user to any value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2020
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2018-13076 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the mintToken function of the Betcash (BC) Ethereum token smart contract implementation. This vulnerability resides in the core token functionality that allows for the creation and distribution of new tokens within the blockchain ecosystem. The flaw specifically manifests in the token minting process where the contract owner can manipulate token balances through improper integer handling mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and arithmetic overflow protection within the smart contract code. When the mintToken function processes token creation requests, it fails to properly validate or constrain the numerical inputs that determine how many tokens are minted and distributed to specific addresses. This allows an attacker with owner privileges to manipulate the underlying integer calculations, effectively bypassing normal token distribution limits and controls that should prevent arbitrary balance manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple balance manipulation to potentially compromise the entire token economy and trust within the Betcash ecosystem. An attacker with owner access could theoretically inflate token supplies indefinitely, manipulate market prices, or create artificial scarcity by selectively controlling token distributions. The vulnerability directly affects the fundamental principles of blockchain tokenomics, where transparent and immutable balance tracking should be guaranteed. This flaw undermines the core security assumptions that users rely upon when interacting with the token contract, potentially leading to significant financial losses for holders and market instability.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions in software implementations. The flaw represents a classic example of inadequate boundary checking in smart contract development, where the absence of proper overflow protection mechanisms creates exploitable conditions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique where an existing user with elevated permissions can leverage code-level vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized control over system resources. The vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient input validation in decentralized applications can create persistent security risks that persist until the underlying smart contract code is properly audited and patched.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate contract-level fixes including the implementation of proper integer overflow protection mechanisms such as require statements with bounds checking, the use of safe math libraries, and comprehensive input validation routines. The contract owner must implement proper access controls and audit trails to monitor any minting operations, while also considering the deployment of additional security mechanisms such as timelocks or multi-signature requirements for critical operations. Regular security audits and formal verification processes should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future smart contract deployments, as this flaw represents a fundamental gap in the security posture of the Betcash token implementation.