CVE-2021-29545 json
Heap buffer overflow in `SparseTensorToCSRSparseMatrix`
published 2021-05-14 5 y ago modified 2026-09-08 2 mo ago also BIT-tensorflow-2021-29545 , EUVD-2021-0286 , GHSA-hmg3-c7xj-6qwm , PYSEC-2021-182 , PYSEC-2021-473 , PYSEC-2021-671
- cvss
- 2.5
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 0.2%
- EPSS 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 8%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. An attacker can trigger a denial of service via a `CHECK`-fail in converting sparse tensors to CSR Sparse matrices. This is because the implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/800346f2c03a27e182dd4fba48295f65e7790739/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse/kernels.cc#L66) does a double redirection to access an element of an array allocated on the heap. If the value at `indices(i, 0)` is such that `indices(i, 0) + 1` is outside the bounds of `csr_row_ptr`, this results in writing outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.5.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.4.2, TensorFlow 2.3.3, TensorFlow 2.2.3 and TensorFlow 2.1.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.
Patch / fix
- pypi tensorflow 2.1.4, 2.2.0rc0, 2.2.3, 2.3.0rc0, 2.3.3, 2.3.4, 2.4.2, 2.4.3
- pypi tensorflow-cpu 2.1.4, 2.2.0rc0, 2.2.3, 2.3.0rc0, 2.3.3, 2.3.4, 2.4.2, 2.4.3
- pypi tensorflow-gpu 2.1.4, 2.2.0rc0, 2.2.3, 2.3.0rc0, 2.3.3, 2.3.4, 2.4.2, 2.4.3
- bitnami tensorflow 2.1.4, 2.2.3, 2.3.3, 2.4.2
- google tensorflow 2.1.4, 2.2.3, 2.3.3, 2.4.2
- tensorflow Arch Linux 2.5.0-1
arch linux advisories AVG-1962
Exploit prediction
0.19% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 8% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
Exploits and checks
- github.com https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-hmg3-c7xj-6qwm referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 3.1 | 2.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L |
| GitHub | 3.1 | 2.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L |
| NVD | 3.1 | 5.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| NVD | 2.0 | 2.1 | AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P |
| OSV | 3.1 | 5.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
Affected packages
| ecosystem | package | affected | fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| pypi | tensorflow | <2.1.4 >=2.2.0, <2.2.3 >=2.3.0, <2.3.3 >=2.4.0, <2.4.2 <2.2.0rc0 >=2.2.0, <2.3.0rc0 >=2.3.0, <2.3.4 >=2.4.0, <2.4.3 |
2.1.4 2.2.3 2.3.3 2.4.2 2.2.0rc0 2.3.0rc0 2.3.4 2.4.3 |
| pypi | tensorflow-cpu | <2.1.4 >=2.2.0, <2.2.3 >=2.3.0, <2.3.3 >=2.4.0, <2.4.2 <2.2.0rc0 >=2.2.0, <2.3.0rc0 >=2.3.0, <2.3.4 >=2.4.0, <2.4.3 |
2.1.4 2.2.3 2.3.3 2.4.2 2.2.0rc0 2.3.0rc0 2.3.4 2.4.3 |
| pypi | tensorflow-gpu | <2.1.4 >=2.2.0, <2.2.3 >=2.3.0, <2.3.3 >=2.4.0, <2.4.2 <2.2.0rc0 >=2.2.0, <2.3.0rc0 >=2.3.0, <2.3.4 >=2.4.0, <2.4.3 |
2.1.4 2.2.3 2.3.3 2.4.2 2.2.0rc0 2.3.0rc0 2.3.4 2.4.3 |
| bitnami | tensorflow | <2.1.4 >=2.2.0, <2.2.3 >=2.3.0, <2.3.3 >=2.4.0, <2.4.2 |
2.1.4 2.2.3 2.3.3 2.4.2 |
Affected products
- tensorflow tensorflow
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-131 Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size
References
-
github.com
/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/1e922ccdf6bf46a3a52641f99fd47d54c1decd13
web, patch, third-party-advisory, advisory
-
github.com
/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-hmg3-c7xj-6qwm
web, exploit, patch, third-party-advisory, advisory
-
nvd.nist.gov
/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-29545
advisory, web
-
github.com
/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-473.yaml
web
-
github.com
/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-671.yaml
web
-
github.com
/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-182.yaml
web
-
github.com
/tensorflow/tensorflow
package
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2021-29545
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-hmg3-c7xj-6qwm
- NVD CVE-2021-29545
- OSV BIT-tensorflow-2021-29545
- OSV PYSEC-2021-182
- OSV PYSEC-2021-473
- OSV PYSEC-2021-671
Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.