CVE-2018-13721 in GoMineWorld
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for GoMineWorld, 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 in CVE-2018-13721 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the mintToken function of the GoMineWorld Ethereum token smart contract implementation. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of integer overflow and under the ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for execution through smart contract manipulation. The flaw occurs when the mintToken function processes token minting operations without proper bounds checking on the amount parameter, allowing an attacker to manipulate the underlying integer arithmetic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the lack of input validation and overflow protection within the smart contract's mintToken function. When an owner attempts to mint tokens for a user, the contract performs arithmetic operations that can exceed the maximum value that can be stored in the integer data type. This overflow condition creates a scenario where the balance calculation wraps around to an unexpected value, potentially allowing the contract owner to manipulate user balances arbitrarily. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it directly affects the core tokenomics of the contract, enabling unauthorized balance manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker with owner privileges can exploit this flaw to inflate user balances to arbitrary values, potentially leading to massive token inflation and economic disruption within the GoMineWorld ecosystem. The vulnerability also creates a potential pathway for unauthorized access to token distribution mechanisms, as the attacker could manipulate balances to create artificial scarcity or distribute tokens to unauthorized parties. This type of vulnerability directly undermines the trust and integrity of the blockchain-based token system, as it allows for manipulation of the fundamental accounting mechanisms that govern token ownership.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper integer bounds checking and overflow protection mechanisms within the smart contract code. The fix should involve implementing validation checks to ensure that token amounts do not exceed predefined limits before performing arithmetic operations. Additionally, developers should adopt defensive programming practices such as using safe math libraries that automatically handle overflow conditions. The remediation process must include thorough code review and testing to ensure that all arithmetic operations within the contract are protected against integer overflow conditions. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and audit mechanisms to monitor contract owner activities and detect anomalous behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and formal verification of smart contract code are essential practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in future implementations and to maintain the integrity of blockchain-based financial systems.