CVE-2018-13196 in T-Swap-Token
Summary
by MITRE
The sell function of a smart contract implementation for T-Swap-Token (T-S-T), an Ethereum token, has an integer overflow in which "amount * sellPrice" can be zero, consequently reducing a seller's assets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13196 resides within the sell function of T-Swap-Token smart contract implementation on the Ethereum blockchain, representing a critical integer overflow flaw that directly impacts asset management and financial integrity. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and arithmetic operation handling within the smart contract's core logic, where the multiplication operation between amount and sellPrice can produce unexpected results due to insufficient overflow checking mechanisms.
The technical flaw manifests when the sell function processes transactions involving T-Swap-Token assets, specifically when the product of amount and sellPrice calculations results in a zero value. This occurs because the smart contract fails to implement proper overflow protection mechanisms that would normally prevent arithmetic operations from exceeding the maximum representable values for the data types used. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it allows for the manipulation of asset values, where sellers may experience complete loss of their token holdings during transactions. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow and wraparound conditions, and represents a direct threat to the integrity of the blockchain-based financial system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple financial loss, as it fundamentally undermines trust in the smart contract's ability to accurately process transactions and maintain accurate asset balances. When sellers attempt to exchange their T-Swap-Tokens for ether or other assets, the zero value result from the multiplication operation effectively nullifies their holdings, resulting in complete asset loss. This creates a cascading effect where users lose confidence in the platform, potentially leading to mass withdrawals and significant financial damage to the project. The vulnerability also opens doors for potential exploitation through coordinated attacks that could drain multiple user accounts simultaneously.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of comprehensive input validation and arithmetic overflow protection mechanisms within the smart contract code. The solution involves adding explicit checks to ensure that multiplication operations do not result in zero values or overflow conditions, utilizing safe math libraries or implementing manual overflow detection before arithmetic operations. Additionally, developers should implement proper error handling and transaction rollback mechanisms to prevent partial execution of potentially harmful operations. The remediation process should also include thorough code auditing and testing procedures to identify similar vulnerabilities across the entire smart contract ecosystem. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability represents a software vulnerability exploitation technique that can be leveraged by threat actors to gain unauthorized access to user funds and compromise the overall security posture of the blockchain application.