CVE-2018-13601 in GalacticX
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for GalacticX, 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 • 02/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13601 resides within the mintToken function of GalacticX smart contract implementation running on the Ethereum blockchain. This flaw represents a critical integer overflow vulnerability that fundamentally compromises the contract's integrity and security model. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and arithmetic operations within the mintToken function, allowing unauthorized manipulation of token balances through crafted inputs that exceed the maximum representable value for the underlying data type.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when the mintToken function processes user inputs without adequate bounds checking or overflow protection mechanisms. When an attacker supplies values that would cause integer overflow during balance calculations, the contract fails to properly validate these inputs, resulting in unexpected behavior where token balances can be manipulated beyond normal operational parameters. This occurs because the smart contract does not implement proper overflow detection mechanisms that are standard practice in secure blockchain development. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-190, which describes integer overflow and underflow conditions, and specifically aligns with CWE-682, representing incorrect arithmetic operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe risk for the GalacticX token ecosystem as it allows the contract owner to arbitrarily manipulate user balances, potentially enabling theft of tokens or creation of unlimited supply. The impact extends beyond simple balance manipulation to compromise the fundamental trust model of the token system. An attacker could potentially drain funds from other users or create artificial wealth for themselves, undermining the entire economic model of the token. The vulnerability also creates a pathway for potential denial of service attacks where malicious actors could manipulate balances to prevent legitimate transactions or create artificial scarcity in the token market.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution, T1548.001 for abuse of privileges, and T1070.004 for indicator removal on host. Security practitioners should implement comprehensive monitoring for unusual balance changes and implement proper input validation. The recommended mitigations include implementing overflow checks using SafeMath libraries, conducting thorough code reviews with emphasis on arithmetic operations, and deploying formal verification techniques to identify potential integer overflow conditions. Additionally, contract owners should implement proper access controls and audit logging to track all mint operations and balance modifications. Organizations should also consider implementing time-based access controls and multi-signature requirements for critical functions to reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized balance manipulations.