CVE-2018-13677 in Goochain
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for Goochain, 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-2018-13677 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the mintToken function of Goochain's Ethereum smart contract implementation. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and arithmetic handling within the contract's code, creating a scenario where the contract owner can manipulate user balances arbitrarily. The integer overflow occurs when the contract attempts to increment token balances without adequate bounds checking, allowing for wraparound behavior that can result in unintended balance modifications. Such a flaw fundamentally compromises the integrity of the token economy and user account management within the Goochain ecosystem.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and underflow conditions in software systems. When the mintToken function processes token minting operations, it fails to validate that the resulting balance would not exceed the maximum value representable by the integer data type. This oversight creates a pathway for malicious actors, particularly the contract owner, to manipulate account balances through carefully crafted minting operations. The vulnerability operates at the core level of the smart contract's arithmetic operations, making it particularly dangerous as it affects fundamental token accounting mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-13677 extends beyond simple balance manipulation to encompass potential financial loss and system integrity compromise within the Goochain platform. Contract owners could theoretically inflate or deflate user balances to arbitrary values, potentially enabling them to drain funds from other users or create artificial wealth for themselves. This vulnerability undermines the trustless nature of blockchain systems and can lead to significant economic disruption within the token ecosystem. The consequences may include loss of user confidence, market manipulation opportunities, and potential regulatory scrutiny due to the unauthorized modification of token holdings.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper integer bounds checking within the mintToken function, utilizing safe arithmetic operations that prevent overflow conditions. The contract should validate all input parameters and ensure that balance calculations remain within acceptable numerical ranges before executing any minting operations. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and audit trails can help detect unauthorized balance manipulations. Organizations should also consider adopting formal verification techniques and comprehensive smart contract auditing processes to identify similar vulnerabilities before deployment. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.001, which addresses privilege escalation through code injection and manipulation of system processes, as the vulnerability allows for unauthorized privilege exploitation through balance manipulation.