LotteryTicket50 Smart Contract Nalakuvara Tokens Frained

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A critical vulnerability in the `LotteryTicketSwap50` contract was exploited due to flawed logic in how it calculated ticket value and handled liquidity. Specifically, the contract used fixed ticket valuations and lacked slippage protection, allowing an attacker to manipulate token prices via flashloan and create profitable arbitrage. By repeatedly redeeming overvalued tickets for USDC, the attacker drained approximately $105.5K from the protocol. The exploit was flagged by TenArmor, but the identity behind the smart contract remains unknown, and no investigation or fund recovery has been publicly reported.

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About Nalakuvara Token

Nalakuvara, also known as Nalakubara, is a figure in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. He is the son of Kubera, the yaksha king, and the brother of Manigriva (also known as Manibhadra). Nalakuvara is often depicted as a trickster figure, and his story is intertwined with themes of liberation and devotion to Krishna.

The Nalakuvara token smart contract was first launched on the Base chain on May 7th, 2025.

The Reality

Unfortunately, a vulnerability existed in the `LotteryTicketSwap50` contract due to its use of a fixed value calculation for LotteryTickets, which did not account for real-time market conditions. This meant that the value of the tickets remained constant regardless of fluctuations in the prices of the underlying tokens.

In addition, the `TransferToken` function lacked slippage protection when adding liquidity. The contract accepted token deposits without verifying whether the input values matched fair market rates, allowing liquidity to be added at arbitrary or manipulated prices.

Together, these design flaws created a pricing mismatch between the contract’s internal valuations and actual market dynamics. This inconsistency introduced a systemic risk, making the protocol susceptible to imbalanced operations when token prices deviated from the assumed fixed values.

What Happened

A vulnerability in the `LotteryTicketSwap50` contract—caused by fixed ticket valuations and lack of slippage protection—was exploited via flashloan manipulation, resulting in a loss of approximately $105.5K.

Key Event Timeline - LotteryTicket50 Smart Contract Nalakuvara Tokens Frained
Date Event Description
May 7th, 2025 9:26:53 PM MDT Nalakuvara Smart Contract Created The Nalakuvara token smart contract is first created on the Base chain.
May 9th, 2025 6:09:33 AM MDT Exploit Transaction Happens The exploit transaction occurs on the Base Chain.
May 9th, 2025 6:21:00 AM MDT TenArmor Posts About Exploit TenArmor makes a public post with details about the exploit transaction.

Technical Details

The vulnerability originates from the flawed design of the `LotteryTicketSwap50` contract, specifically in the fixed value calculation of the LotteryTicket and the absence of slippage protection within the `TransferToken` function. This lack of safeguards allowed the attacker to manipulate token prices and exploit the discrepancy between the real market value and the hardcoded ticket valuation. Without mechanisms to account for price changes or to limit adverse liquidity impacts, the contract was left open to exploitation.

To execute the attack, the exploiter first manipulated the price of the Nalakuvara token using a flashloan, temporarily inflating or deflating its market value. This manipulation enabled them to create an artificial price discrepancy when adding liquidity through the vulnerable `TransferToken` function. Despite the manipulated token price, the USDC valuation of the LotteryTicket remained fixed, creating a profitable imbalance for the attacker to exploit.

Capitalizing on this arbitrage opportunity, the attacker used the inflated Nalakuvara tokens to swap for a larger amount of USDC. They then repeatedly redeemed their LotteryTickets for USDC by invoking the `DestructionOfLotteryTickets` function, profiting from the misalignment in valuation. This process was repeated, allowing the attacker to drain significant funds from the protocol before the exploit was discovered.

Total Amount Lost

TenArmor described "an approximately loss of $105.5K".

The total amount lost has been estimated at $106,000 USD.

Immediate Reactions

The incident was flagged by TenArmor. However, it is unclear what entity is behind the smart contract.

Ultimate Outcome

There does not appear to be any investigation or public announcement related to the exploit.

Total Amount Recovered

There is no indication that any funds have been recovered in this case.

There do not appear to have been any funds recovered in this case.

Ongoing Developments

There doesn't appear to be any ongoing investigation or any public announcements.

Individual Prevention Policies

No specific policies for individual prevention have yet been identified in this case.

For the full list of how to protect your funds as an individual, check our Prevention Policies for Individuals guide.

Platform Prevention Policies

Policies for platforms to take to prevent this situation have not yet been selected in this case.

For the full list of how to protect your funds as a financial service, check our Prevention Policies for Platforms guide.

Regulatory Prevention Policies

No specific regulatory policies have yet been identified in this case.

For the full list of regulatory policies that can prevent loss, check our Prevention Policies for Regulators guide.

References