CVE-2018-13780 in ESH
Summary
by MITRE
The mintToken function of a smart contract implementation for ESH, 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 vulnerability identified in CVE-2018-13780 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the mintToken function of an Ethereum smart contract implementation for ESH tokens. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of integer overflow and under the ATT&CK technique T1059.006 for execution through smart contracts. The flaw exists in the token contract's logic where the mintToken function fails to properly validate or constrain integer values during balance calculations, creating a scenario where the owner can manipulate token balances beyond normal operational bounds.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the smart contract's mintToken function, which allows for unchecked arithmetic operations that can exceed the maximum value that can be represented by the underlying data types. When the owner invokes this function with malicious parameters, the integer overflow occurs during the balance update process, enabling arbitrary balance manipulation. This particular flaw demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the contract's mathematical operations and lacks proper overflow protection mechanisms that are standard in secure smart contract development practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for the ESH token ecosystem. An attacker with contract ownership privileges can manipulate user balances to arbitrary values, potentially leading to massive financial losses, unauthorized token distribution, or complete control over the token supply. The vulnerability essentially grants the contract owner unlimited power to modify user balances without restriction, undermining the fundamental principles of blockchain tokenomics and user trust in the system. This flaw could result in significant economic damage to token holders and the broader ecosystem that relies on the integrity of the token distribution.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper integer overflow protection mechanisms within the smart contract code. Developers must implement explicit bounds checking, utilize safe math libraries, and employ formal verification techniques to prevent similar issues in future deployments. The contract should incorporate overflow detection before any arithmetic operations, particularly when dealing with balance updates and token minting functions. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and audit trails can help detect unauthorized balance manipulations. Organizations should also consider conducting comprehensive smart contract security audits and following established security frameworks such as the OpenZeppelin security guidelines to prevent similar vulnerabilities in their blockchain implementations. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of adhering to secure coding practices in smart contract development, as even minor oversights in mathematical operations can result in catastrophic security breaches that compromise entire token ecosystems.