CVE-2018-13558 in rhovit
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for rhovit, 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 • 02/27/2020
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2018-13558 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the mintToken function of the rhovit Ethereum token smart contract implementation. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and arithmetic operation handling within the smart contract code, specifically affecting the token's minting mechanism. The flaw allows the contract owner to manipulate user balances by setting them to arbitrary values, effectively compromising the fundamental integrity of the token's accounting system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper handling of integer arithmetic operations during token minting processes. When the mintToken function executes, it fails to validate that the resulting balance values remain within the bounds of the integer data types used for storage. This oversight creates a condition where mathematical operations can exceed maximum representable values, causing the integer to wrap around to a much smaller value or zero. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-190, which describes integer overflow conditions, and specifically relates to CWE-682, concerning incorrect arithmetic operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it grants the contract owner unprecedented control over the token distribution and user account balances. An attacker with owner privileges can manipulate user balances to create infinite tokens, drain other users' accounts, or manipulate the total supply of the token. This capability undermines the core principles of blockchain token economics and can lead to complete loss of user funds. The vulnerability also creates potential for financial manipulation and can be exploited to gain unfair advantages in token-based systems, potentially affecting the entire ecosystem that relies on the token's integrity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate code-level fixes to implement proper integer overflow protections. The smart contract implementation must incorporate explicit bounds checking and validation before executing arithmetic operations within the mintToken function. Solutions include utilizing safe math libraries such as OpenZeppelin's SafeMath, implementing require statements to validate input parameters, and ensuring all arithmetic operations are performed with overflow protection mechanisms. Additionally, regular smart contract audits and formal verification processes should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities before deployment. The remediation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1587.001, which addresses the exploitation of software vulnerabilities through improper input validation and arithmetic operations, emphasizing the need for robust defensive programming practices in smart contract development.