CVE-2018-12079 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

In the Substratum smart contract for minting tokens, there is a vulnerability that allows the owner to increase digital assets without restrictions, potentially leading to profit generation through the 'tradeTrap' problem.

Understanding CVE-2018-12079

This CVE involves a flaw in the mintToken function of the Substratum smart contract, enabling unlimited supply manipulation.

What is CVE-2018-12079?

The vulnerability in the Substratum smart contract allows the owner to inflate digital asset amounts without any time constraints, creating a risk for profit exploitation through the 'tradeTrap' issue.

The Impact of CVE-2018-12079

The 'tradeTrap' problem poses a significant risk as it enables the unauthorized enhancement of digital asset quantities, potentially leading to financial gains for malicious actors.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-12079

The technical aspects of the vulnerability in the Substratum smart contract are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The mintToken function lacks a time constraint, allowing the owner to increase the total supply of digital assets without limitations, facilitating profit generation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Version: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by the owner of the Substratum smart contract to manipulate the supply of digital assets, potentially leading to financial gains through the 'tradeTrap' issue.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-12079, the following steps can be taken:

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement time constraints in smart contracts to prevent unlimited asset inflation.
Regularly monitor and audit smart contract functionalities for vulnerabilities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct thorough code reviews and security assessments during smart contract development.
Educate developers on secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches or updates provided by Substratum to fix the vulnerability and enhance the security of smart contracts.