CVE-2018-13193 in hentaisolo
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for hentaisolo (HAO), 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 • 02/25/2020
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2018-13193 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the mintToken function of the hentaisolo (HAO) Ethereum token smart contract. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and arithmetic handling within the contract's codebase, creating a scenario where the contract owner can manipulate user balances arbitrarily. The flaw exists at the core level of the token implementation, specifically in how the contract processes token minting operations and manages balance updates. When the mintToken function executes, it fails to properly validate or constrain the parameters passed to it, allowing for malicious manipulation of the token supply and user account balances.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions in software systems. In Ethereum smart contracts, such vulnerabilities can be particularly dangerous as they directly impact the integrity of the blockchain's state management and asset distribution mechanisms. The contract owner can exploit this flaw by calling the mintToken function with carefully crafted parameters that cause the balance arithmetic to wrap around, effectively bypassing normal balance constraints and allowing for arbitrary balance modifications. This type of vulnerability operates at the transaction level where the contract's internal state is manipulated through direct function calls rather than through normal token transfer mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple balance manipulation, as it fundamentally compromises the trust model of the token ecosystem. Users who hold HAO tokens face potential loss of funds as the contract owner can increase balances beyond intended limits or create artificial wealth distributions. The vulnerability also creates potential for systemic issues within any decentralized application or exchange that relies on the HAO token, as the token's value and supply integrity become questionable. Additionally, this flaw can be exploited to create infinite token supply scenarios or to manipulate token distribution for personal gain, undermining the economic principles that govern token-based systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate contract remediation through proper input validation and arithmetic bounds checking. The implementation should include explicit overflow checks using modern Solidity practices such as SafeMath libraries or explicit overflow detection mechanisms before any arithmetic operations. The contract owner must ensure that all balance updates are validated against reasonable limits and that the mintToken function properly enforces token supply constraints. From a security operations perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of thorough smart contract auditing and formal verification processes, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework for blockchain security. Organizations should implement comprehensive testing procedures including fuzz testing and property-based testing to identify similar vulnerabilities before deployment. The remediation process must also include proper access control mechanisms to prevent unauthorized minting operations and establish transparent governance protocols for token modifications.