CVE-2021-37690
Use after free and segfault in shape inference functions in TensorFlow
Reported by github_m · Published August 12, 2021
tensorflow-gpu is fixed in ee119d4a498979525046fba1c3dd3f13a039fbb1, 2.5.1, 2.4.3 and 1 more (PyPI)
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions when running shape functions, some functions (such as `MutableHashTableShape`) produce extra output information in the form of a `ShapeAndType` struct. The shapes embedded in this struct are owned by an inference context that is cleaned up almost immediately; if the upstream code attempts to access this shape information, it can trigger a segfault. `ShapeRefiner` is mitigating this for normal output shapes by cloning them (and thus putting the newly created shape under ownership of an inference context that will not die), but we were not doing the same for shapes and types. This commit fixes that by doing similar logic on output shapes and types. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit ee119d4a498979525046fba1c3dd3f13a039fbb1. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.
Fixed versions
Upgrade to a fixed version or later. Language registries are listed first, then Linux distributions, then vendor products.
| Package | Ecosystem | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| tensorflow-gpu | PyPI | ee119d4a498979525046fba1c3dd3f13a039fbb1, 2.5.1, 2.4.3, 2.3.4 |
| tensorflow | PyPI | ee119d4a498979525046fba1c3dd3f13a039fbb1, 2.5.1, 2.4.3, 2.3.4 |
| tensorflow-cpu | PyPI | ee119d4a498979525046fba1c3dd3f13a039fbb1, 2.5.1, 2.4.3, 2.3.4 |
| tensorflow | Bitnami | 2.5.1, 2.4.3, 2.3.4 |
| tensorflow | Arch Linux | 2.5.1-1 |
| tensorflow | 2.4.3, 2.3.4 |
Risk scores
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| tensorflow | tensorflow | >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1, >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3, < 2.3.4 |
| arch | tensorflow | 0 |
| PyPI | tensorflow-gpu | 2.5.0, 0, 2.4.0 |
| tensorflow | tensorflow | 0, 2.4.0, 2.5.0 |
| PyPI | tensorflow | 2.4.0, 2.5.0, 2.5.0 |
| PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | 2.5.0, 2.4.0, 0 |
Timeline
- Aug 12, 2021 CVE Published
- Aug 13, 2021 EPSS Score (30 in total, the first dated here)
- Aug 27, 2021 CVE Updated
- Mar 10, 2026 Security Advisory (2 in total, the first dated here)
- Jul 26, 2026 Coalition ESS Score
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References
- x_refsource_CONFIRM
- x_refsource_MISC
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-37690 advisory
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-3hxh-8cp2-g4hg advisory
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-603.yaml advisory
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-801.yaml advisory
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-312.yaml advisory
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow url