CVE-2018-14005 in Malaysia Coins
Summary
by MITRE
An integer overflow vulnerability exists in the function transferAny of Malaysia coins (Xmc), an Ethereum token smart contract. An attacker could use it to set any user's balance.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2020
The integer overflow vulnerability identified in CVE-2018-14005 represents a critical flaw within the Malaysia coins (Xmc) Ethereum token smart contract implementation. This vulnerability specifically affects the transferAny function, which is designed to facilitate token transfers between users within the blockchain ecosystem. The flaw stems from improper input validation and arithmetic operations that fail to account for the maximum limits of integer data types, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate token balances. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-190 category of integer overflow, which is classified as a fundamental weakness in software systems that can lead to unpredictable behavior and security breaches.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input parameters that cause integer overflow conditions during the transferAny function execution. When the smart contract processes these inputs, the arithmetic operations exceed the maximum value that can be represented by the integer data type, causing the value to wrap around to a much smaller number. This wraparound effect allows attackers to manipulate the balance calculations in such a way that they can effectively set any user's token balance to arbitrary values. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it operates at the core transaction processing level of the smart contract, enabling unauthorized balance modifications without proper authorization mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple balance manipulation, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and security of the entire token ecosystem. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can not only set user balances to zero but also potentially create infinite token supply or assign excessive balances to their own accounts. This capability directly violates the fundamental principles of blockchain security and token economics, as it undermines the trustless nature of the system and creates opportunities for financial loss. The vulnerability affects all users of the Malaysia coins token who interact with the contract, making it a systemic risk rather than an isolated incident that could potentially lead to complete financial fraud and loss of user funds.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate contract upgrades and comprehensive code auditing to prevent similar issues in future implementations. The most effective approach involves implementing proper integer bounds checking and using safe arithmetic operations that prevent overflow conditions. Developers should employ established security practices such as using libraries that provide overflow protection or implementing explicit validation checks before performing arithmetic operations. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of thorough smart contract testing including edge case scenarios and formal verification methods to identify potential integer overflow issues. Organizations should also consider implementing access controls and transaction monitoring systems to detect anomalous balance changes that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of adhering to secure coding practices in blockchain environments and the necessity of comprehensive security assessments before deploying smart contracts to production networks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the software supply chain security domain, emphasizing the need for robust contract validation and continuous monitoring of deployed smart contracts to prevent exploitation of such fundamental flaws.