CVE-2021-37637 Null pointer dereference in `CompressElement` in TensorFlow

High 7.7 Published Updated

An attacker can cause a denial of service in TensorFlow by passing invalid input to CompressElement, triggering a null pointer dereference.

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

What is CVE-2021-37637?

CVE-2021-37637 is a high-severity vulnerability in Google Tensorflow, published on 12 Aug 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. It is possible to trigger a null pointer dereference in TensorFlow by passing an invalid input to `tf.raw_ops.CompressElement`. The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/47a06f40411a69c99f381495f490536972152ac0/tensorflow/core/data/compression_utils.cc#L34) was accessing the size of a buffer obtained from the return of a separate function call before validating that said buffer is valid. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 5dc7f6981fdaf74c8c5be41f393df705841fb7c5. 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.

Weakness: CWE-476

Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-37637?

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

PackageAffectedFixed in
tensorflow BitnamiFrom 2.3.02.3.4, 2.4.3, 2.5.1
tensorflow PyPIAll versions2.3.4
tensorflow PyPIAll versions2.3.4
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.4, 2.4.3
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.3
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.3
16 more packages
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.5.02.5.1
tensorflow PyPIFrom 2.5.02.5.1
tensorflow-cpu PyPIAll versions2.3.4
tensorflow-cpu PyPIAll versions2.3.4
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.4, 2.4.3
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.3
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.3
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.5.02.5.1
tensorflow-cpu PyPIFrom 2.5.02.5.1
tensorflow-gpu PyPIAll versions2.3.4
tensorflow-gpu PyPIAll versions2.3.4
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.3.02.3.4, 2.4.3
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.3
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.4.02.4.3
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.5.02.5.1
tensorflow-gpu PyPIFrom 2.5.02.5.1

Products include Google Tensorflow.

How do I fix CVE-2021-37637?

Upgrade tensorflow to a fixed version for your release line: 2.3.4, 2.4.3 or 2.5.1.

Is CVE-2021-37637 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-37637 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Google Tensorflow vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as BIT-tensorflow-2021-37637, GHSA-c9qf-r67m-p7cg, PYSEC-2021-259, PYSEC-2021-550, PYSEC-2021-748.

Is CVE-2021-37637 in your software?

Upload an SBOM and sbomify checks it against every vulnerability here, every day.

Check your SBOMs for free