Skip to content
Fencer Vulns
high 7.1

CVE-2021-29614 json

Interpreter crash from `tf.io.decode_raw`

published 2021-05-14 5 y ago modified 2026-09-10 1 mo ago also BIT-tensorflow-2021-29614 , EUVD-2021-0355 , GHSA-8pmx-p244-g88h , PYSEC-2021-251 , PYSEC-2021-542 , PYSEC-2021-740

cvss
7.1
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 12%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. The implementation of `tf.io.decode_raw` produces incorrect results and crashes the Python interpreter when combining `fixed_length` and wider datatypes. The implementation of the padded version(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/1d8903e5b167ed0432077a3db6e462daf781d1fe/tensorflow/core/kernels/decode_padded_raw_op.cc) is buggy due to a confusion about pointer arithmetic rules. First, the code computes(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/1d8903e5b167ed0432077a3db6e462daf781d1fe/tensorflow/core/kernels/decode_padded_raw_op.cc#L61) the width of each output element by dividing the `fixed_length` value to the size of the type argument. The `fixed_length` argument is also used to determine the size needed for the output tensor(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/1d8903e5b167ed0432077a3db6e462daf781d1fe/tensorflow/core/kernels/decode_padded_raw_op.cc#L63-L79). This is followed by reencoding code(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/1d8903e5b167ed0432077a3db6e462daf781d1fe/tensorflow/core/kernels/decode_padded_raw_op.cc#L85-L94). The erroneous code is the last line above: it is moving the `out_data` pointer by `fixed_length * sizeof(T)` bytes whereas it only copied at most `fixed_length` bytes from the input. This results in parts of the input not being decoded into the output. Furthermore, because the pointer advance is far wider than desired, this quickly leads to writing to outside the bounds of the backing data. This OOB write leads to interpreter crash in the reproducer mentioned here, but more severe attacks can be mounted too, given that this gadget allows writing to periodically placed locations in memory. 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, 2.2.3, 2.3.3, 2.4.2
  • pypi tensorflow-cpu 2.1.4, 2.2.3, 2.3.3, 2.4.2
  • pypi tensorflow-gpu 2.1.4, 2.2.3, 2.3.3, 2.4.2
  • 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

0.22% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 12% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

  • github.com https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-8pmx-p244-g88h referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 7.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
GitHub 3.1 7.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 4.6 AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
OSV 3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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
2.1.4
2.2.3
2.3.3
2.4.2
pypi tensorflow-cpu
<2.1.4
>=2.2.0, <2.2.3
>=2.3.0, <2.3.3
>=2.4.0, <2.4.2
2.1.4
2.2.3
2.3.3
2.4.2
pypi tensorflow-gpu
<2.1.4
>=2.2.0, <2.2.3
>=2.3.0, <2.3.3
>=2.4.0, <2.4.2
2.1.4
2.2.3
2.3.3
2.4.2
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

References

Sources

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.