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Rounding Error Exploit

Definition

A rounding error exploit is a vulnerability in smart contracts or digital asset protocols where small, accumulated discrepancies from floating-point arithmetic operations can be manipulated to illicitly gain assets. These errors typically occur when calculations involve fractions of tokens, and subsequent rounding operations, if improperly handled, can leave tiny residual amounts. An attacker can repeatedly trigger these operations to accumulate these minute fractions into a significant sum.