CVE-2021-29514 Heap out of bounds write in `RaggedBinCount`

Low 2.5 Published Updated

An attacker can trigger a heap buffer overflow in TensorFlow's RaggedBinCount operation, potentially leading to code execution or denial of service.

Exploited in the wild
Not known
Login needed
Any signed-in user
Attackable
Local or same network only
Victim action needed
Not needed
Fix
Available

What is CVE-2021-29514?

CVE-2021-29514 is a low-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Google Tensorflow, published on 14 May 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. If the `splits` argument of `RaggedBincount` does not specify a valid `SparseTensor`(https://www.tensorflow.org/api_docs/python/tf/sparse/SparseTensor), then an attacker can trigger a heap buffer overflow. This will cause a read from outside the bounds of the `splits` tensor buffer in the implementation of the `RaggedBincount` op(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/8b677d79167799f71c42fd3fa074476e0295413a/tensorflow/core/kernels/bincount_op.cc#L430-L446). Before the `for` loop, `batch_idx` is set to 0. The attacker sets `splits(0)` to be 7, hence the `while` loop does not execute and `batch_idx` remains 0. This then results in writing to `out(-1, bin)`, which is before the heap allocated buffer for the output tensor. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.5.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.4.2 and TensorFlow 2.3.3, as these are also affected.

Weakness: CWE-787

Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-29514?

16 open source packages ship an affected version, including tensorflow, tensorflow-cpu and tensorflow-gpu. It affects 1 product.

PackageAffectedFixed in
tensorflow BitnamiFrom 2.3.02.3.3, 2.4.2
tensorflow PyPIAll versions2.2.0rc0, 2.3.0rc0, 2.3.4, 2.4.3
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.3
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.3
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.2
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.2
10 more packages
tensorflow-cpu PyPIAll versions2.2.0rc0, 2.3.0rc0, 2.3.4, 2.4.3
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.3
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.3
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.2
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.2
tensorflow-gpu PyPIAll versions2.2.0rc0, 2.3.0rc0, 2.3.4, 2.4.3
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.3
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.3
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.2
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.2

Products include Google Tensorflow.

How do I fix CVE-2021-29514?

Upgrade tensorflow to a fixed version for your release line: 2.3.3, 2.4.2, 2.2.0rc0 or 2.3.0rc0.

Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.

Is CVE-2021-29514 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-29514 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Google Tensorflow vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as BIT-tensorflow-2021-29514, GHSA-8h46-5m9h-7553, PYSEC-2021-151, PYSEC-2021-442, PYSEC-2021-640.

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