CVE-2018-13585 in CHERRYCOIN
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for CHERRYCOIN, 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 • 04/05/2023
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2018-13585 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the mintToken function of the CHERRYCOIN Ethereum token smart contract implementation. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and arithmetic operations that fail to account for the maximum limits of integer data types. The flaw allows the contract owner to manipulate token balances by setting arbitrary values for any user account, fundamentally compromising the integrity of the token distribution mechanism and creating potential for unauthorized wealth creation or distribution manipulation.
The technical execution of this vulnerability occurs through the mintToken function where the smart contract fails to properly validate or constrain the amount parameter before performing arithmetic operations. When the owner calls this function with maliciously crafted parameters, the integer overflow allows them to bypass normal token minting restrictions and directly manipulate the balance of any user account. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper handling of numeric data types in smart contract environments where such flaws can have immediate financial consequences.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple balance manipulation, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model of the token ecosystem. An attacker with owner privileges can create unlimited tokens for themselves or other accounts, potentially leading to massive dilution of token value or complete theft of assets. The vulnerability also enables potential for denial of service attacks by setting user balances to extreme values that could cause subsequent operations to fail or behave unpredictably. This flaw directly impacts the security properties of the CHERRYCOIN token and could result in significant financial losses for token holders who rely on the integrity of the smart contract implementation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper integer overflow checks and input validation within the mintToken function. The smart contract should incorporate bounds checking and use safe arithmetic operations that prevent overflow conditions, such as employing libraries like OpenZeppelin's SafeMath or similar mathematical libraries that automatically handle overflow protection. Additionally, contract owners should implement proper access control mechanisms and consider using multi-signature wallets for critical operations to reduce the risk of unauthorized exploitation. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of thorough smart contract auditing and adherence to security best practices as outlined in the OWASP Smart Contract Security Verification Standard, which recommends comprehensive testing of all arithmetic operations and input validation routines to prevent similar integer overflow scenarios from occurring in deployed token implementations.