CVE-2021-37639

critical
Published 2021-08-25 · Modified 2023-12-06
CVSS v3
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v2
VIR risk
9.5

Description

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. When restoring tensors via raw APIs, if the tensor name is not provided, TensorFlow can be tricked into dereferencing a null pointer. Alternatively, attackers can read memory outside the bounds of heap allocated data by providing some tensor names but not enough for a successful restoration. The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/47a06f40411a69c99f381495f490536972152ac0/tensorflow/core/kernels/save_restore_tensor.cc#L158-L159) retrieves the tensor list corresponding to the `tensor_name` user controlled input and immediately retrieves the tensor at the restoration index (controlled via `preferred_shard` argument). This occurs without validating that the provided list has enough values. If the list is empty this results in dereferencing a null pointer (undefined behavior). If, however, the list has some elements, if the restoration index is outside the bounds this results in heap OOB read. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 9e82dce6e6bd1f36a57e08fa85af213e2b2f2622. 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.

Predictions

Exploit likelihood
20%
Patch ETA

Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.

Mitigations

vendor Authored 2026-05-27

Vendor advisory: debian — https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-37639

OS impact

OSVersionStatusFixed in
arch archfixed2.5.1-1
debian debianforkyfixed0
debian debiansidfixed0

Package impact

EcosystemPackageVulnerableFixed
python PyPItensorflow<2.3.42.3.4
python PyPItensorflow>=2.4.0,<2.4.32.4.3
python PyPItensorflow>=2.5.0,<2.5.12.5.1
python PyPItensorflow-cpu<2.3.42.3.4
python PyPItensorflow-cpu>=2.4.0,<2.4.32.4.3
python PyPItensorflow-cpu>=2.5.0,<2.5.12.5.1
python PyPItensorflow-gpu<2.3.42.3.4
python PyPItensorflow-gpu>=2.4.0,<2.4.32.4.3
python PyPItensorflow-gpu>=2.5.0,<2.5.12.5.1
python PyPItensorflow<9e82dce6e6bd1f36a57e08fa85af213e2b2f2622||>=2.4.0,<2.4.39e82dce6e6bd1f36a57e08fa85af213e2b2f2622
python PyPItensorflow-cpu<9e82dce6e6bd1f36a57e08fa85af213e2b2f2622||>=2.4.0,<2.4.39e82dce6e6bd1f36a57e08fa85af213e2b2f2622
python PyPItensorflow-gpu<9e82dce6e6bd1f36a57e08fa85af213e2b2f2622||>=2.4.0,<2.4.39e82dce6e6bd1f36a57e08fa85af213e2b2f2622

References

Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.