CVE-2018-13755 in OTAKUToken
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for OTAKUToken, 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 • 03/03/2020
The CVE-2018-13755 vulnerability represents a critical integer overflow flaw in the mintToken function of the OTAKUToken smart contract implementation on the Ethereum blockchain. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and arithmetic operations within the token contract's code, creating a scenario where the contract owner can manipulate user balances arbitrarily. The flaw manifests when the mintToken function processes token minting operations without adequate overflow checks, allowing malicious actors with owner privileges to execute unauthorized balance modifications. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in decentralized finance applications where token balances directly impact user assets and contract functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, Integer Overflow or Wraparound, which occurs when an integer operation exceeds the maximum value that can be represented by the data type. In the context of Ethereum smart contracts, this typically happens when developers fail to implement proper bounds checking in arithmetic operations, especially when dealing with uint256 data types that can wrap around from maximum values back to zero. The mintToken function likely performs operations such as balance additions without validating whether the resulting value would exceed the maximum representable integer, creating a predictable overflow condition that can be exploited by the contract owner.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple balance manipulation and creates significant risks for token holders and the broader ecosystem. When an attacker with owner privileges exploits this vulnerability, they can artificially inflate or deflate user balances, potentially enabling them to drain funds from other users or manipulate token distributions. This type of vulnerability undermines the fundamental trust model of blockchain applications where all participants expect their balances to be accurately maintained. The implications are particularly severe in governance token contexts where balance manipulation could enable unauthorized voting power acquisition or asset control. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1548.005 Privilege Escalation through Smart Contract Manipulation, where adversaries leverage code-level weaknesses to gain unauthorized control over contract operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-13755 require immediate remediation of the smart contract code through comprehensive input validation and overflow protection mechanisms. Developers should implement explicit bounds checking before all arithmetic operations, utilize SafeMath libraries or similar verification tools, and conduct thorough code audits to identify similar patterns throughout the contract. Additionally, contract owners should consider implementing multi-signature requirements for critical operations and establish proper access control mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices for blockchain applications and highlights the necessity of comprehensive testing including fuzz testing and formal verification methods. Organizations should also implement monitoring systems to detect unusual balance modifications that could indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed transaction logs for forensic analysis and incident response purposes.