Null pointer dereference in `UncompressElement` in TensorFlow
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. The code for `tf.raw_ops.UncompressElement` can be made to trigger a null pointer dereference. The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/f24faa153ad31a4b51578f8181d3aaab77a1ddeb/tensorflow/core/kernels/data/experimental/compression_ops.cc#L50-L53) obtains a pointer to a `CompressedElement` from a `Variant` tensor and then proceeds to dereference it for decompressing. There is no check that the `Variant` tensor contained a `CompressedElement`, so the pointer is actually `nullptr`. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 7bdf50bb4f5c54a4997c379092888546c97c3ebd. 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.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tensorflow | 2.5.0 to before 2.5.1; 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3; before 2.3.4 | 2.5.1, 2.4.3, 2.3.4 | Patch available | CNA | |
| — | tensorflow (PyPI) | before 2.3.4 | 2.3.4 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
| — | tensorflow (PyPI) | 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3 | 2.4.3 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
| — | tensorflow (PyPI) | 2.5.0 to before 2.5.1 | 2.5.1 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
| — | tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) | before 2.3.4 | 2.3.4 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
| — | tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) | 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3 | 2.4.3 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
| — | tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) | 2.5.0 to before 2.5.1 | 2.5.1 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
| — | tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) | before 2.3.4 | 2.3.4 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
| — | tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) | 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3 | 2.4.3 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
| — | tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) | 2.5.0 to before 2.5.1 | 2.5.1 | Patch available | GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr |
- tensorflow VendorGoogle Affected 2.5.0 to before 2.5.1; 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3; before 2.3.4 Fixed in 2.5.1, 2.4.3, 2.3.4 Patch available CNA
- tensorflow (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 2.3.4 Fixed in 2.3.4 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
- tensorflow (PyPI) Vendor— Affected 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3 Fixed in 2.4.3 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
- tensorflow (PyPI) Vendor— Affected 2.5.0 to before 2.5.1 Fixed in 2.5.1 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 2.3.4 Fixed in 2.3.4 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) Vendor— Affected 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3 Fixed in 2.4.3 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) Vendor— Affected 2.5.0 to before 2.5.1 Fixed in 2.5.1 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
- tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 2.3.4 Fixed in 2.3.4 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
- tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) Vendor— Affected 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3 Fixed in 2.4.3 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
- tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) Vendor— Affected 2.5.0 to before 2.5.1 Fixed in 2.5.1 Patch available GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
CPE configurations NVD · 5
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.3.0 to before 2.3.4; 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3 | Vulnerable | |
| cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.5.0 | Vulnerable | |
| cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.6.0:rc0:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 rc0 | Vulnerable | |
| cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.6.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 rc1 | Vulnerable | |
| cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.6.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 rc2 | Vulnerable |
- cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.3.0 to before 2.3.4; 2.4.0 to before 2.4.3 Vulnerable ·Google
- cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.5.0 Vulnerable ·Google
- cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.6.0:rc0:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 rc0 Vulnerable ·Google
- cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.6.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 rc1 Vulnerable ·Google
- cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.6.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 rc2 Vulnerable ·Google
Remediation
- Fix · CNA tensorflow (tensorflow) Fixed in 2.5.1, 2.4.3, 2.3.4
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow (PyPI) Fixed in 2.3.4 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow (PyPI) Fixed in 2.4.3 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow (PyPI) Fixed in 2.5.1 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) Fixed in 2.3.4 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) Fixed in 2.4.3 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow-cpu (PyPI) Fixed in 2.5.1 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) Fixed in 2.3.4 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) Fixed in 2.4.3 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr tensorflow-gpu (PyPI) Fixed in 2.5.1 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-37649
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr
References
Advisory 2
Other 4
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-562.yaml
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-760.yaml
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-271.yaml
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow
More Google Tensorflow vulnerabilities
- TI-2022-20241 FractionalMaxPool and FractionalAVGPool heap out-of-bounds acess in Tensorflow CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2022-07640 Integer overflow in Tensorflow CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2022-07627 Out of bounds read and write in Tensorflow CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-07619 Out of bounds write in Tensorflow CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-07613 Read and Write outside of bounds in TFLite CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-07612 Integer overflow in TFLite CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
- CVE-2021-37649 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-37649 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-6gv8-p3vj-pxvr · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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