CVE-2018-13742 in tickets
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for tickets (TKT), 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 as CVE-2018-13742 resides within the mintToken function of an Ethereum-based smart contract implementation for tickets known as TKT token. This flaw represents a critical integer overflow vulnerability that fundamentally compromises the contract's integrity and security model. The vulnerability allows the contract owner to manipulate user balances arbitrarily, creating a scenario where unauthorized value manipulation can occur within the token ecosystem. The root cause stems from improper input validation and lack of overflow checks during arithmetic operations within the mintToken function.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow and unsigned integer overflow conditions. The technical implementation flaw occurs when the contract performs arithmetic operations without proper bounds checking, allowing attackers to exploit the mathematical properties of fixed-size integer representations. In Ethereum smart contracts, this typically manifests when operations exceed the maximum value that can be stored in a given data type, causing the value to wrap around and produce unexpected results. The mintToken function's failure to validate input parameters before performing balance updates creates an exploitable path for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple balance manipulation, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model of the token system. An attacker with owner privileges can arbitrarily inflate or deflate user balances, potentially creating infinite token supply or zeroing out user holdings. This capability enables various malicious activities including but not limited to creating artificial market manipulation opportunities, executing theft of funds, or disrupting the entire token economy. The vulnerability affects all users whose balances are managed through the mintToken function, potentially compromising the financial integrity of the entire token ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-13742 require immediate implementation of comprehensive input validation and overflow protection mechanisms. The smart contract should incorporate explicit bounds checking before any arithmetic operations, utilizing safe math libraries that prevent overflow conditions. The contract owner should implement proper access controls and consider multi-signature requirements for critical functions. Additionally, regular security audits and formal verification processes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which addresses privilege escalation through insecure smart contract functions, emphasizing the need for robust access control and input validation measures. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring systems to detect anomalous balance changes that could indicate exploitation attempts.