# CVE-2021-37650: Segfault and heap buffer overflow in `{Experimental,}DatasetToTFRecord` in TensorFlow

> Attackers can trigger heap buffer overflows and segmentation faults in TensorFlow's DatasetToTFRecord operations by providing non-string data types.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-tensorflow-2021-37650, GHSA-f8h4-7rgh-q2gm, PYSEC-2021-272, PYSEC-2021-563, PYSEC-2021-761

## What is CVE-2021-37650?

CVE-2021-37650 is a high-severity memory corruption 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. In affected versions the implementation for `tf.raw_ops.ExperimentalDatasetToTFRecord` and `tf.raw_ops.DatasetToTFRecord` can trigger heap buffer overflow and segmentation fault. The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/f24faa153ad31a4b51578f8181d3aaab77a1ddeb/tensorflow/core/kernels/data/experimental/to_tf_record_op.cc#L93-L102) assumes that all records in the dataset are of string type. However, there is no check for that, and the example given above uses numeric types. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit e0b6e58c328059829c3eb968136f17aa72b6c876. 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-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-37650?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `tensorflow` | Bitnami | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.4, 2.4.3, 2.5.1 |
| `tensorflow` | PyPI | All versions | 2.3.4 |
| `tensorflow` | PyPI | All versions | 2.3.4 |
| `tensorflow` | PyPI | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.4, 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow` | PyPI | From 2.5.0 | 2.5.1 |
| `tensorflow` | PyPI | From 2.5.0 | 2.5.1 |
| `tensorflow-cpu` | PyPI | All versions | 2.3.4 |
| `tensorflow-cpu` | PyPI | All versions | 2.3.4 |
| `tensorflow-cpu` | PyPI | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.4, 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow-cpu` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow-cpu` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow-cpu` | PyPI | From 2.5.0 | 2.5.1 |
| `tensorflow-cpu` | PyPI | From 2.5.0 | 2.5.1 |
| `tensorflow-gpu` | PyPI | All versions | 2.3.4 |
| `tensorflow-gpu` | PyPI | All versions | 2.3.4 |
| `tensorflow-gpu` | PyPI | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.4, 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow-gpu` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow-gpu` | PyPI | From 2.4.0 | 2.4.3 |
| `tensorflow-gpu` | PyPI | From 2.5.0 | 2.5.1 |
| `tensorflow-gpu` | PyPI | From 2.5.0 | 2.5.1 |

Products: Google Tensorflow.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-37650?

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

## Is CVE-2021-37650 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-37650 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Google Tensorflow

- [CVE-2023-25668](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25668/): TensorFlow vulnerable to heap out-of-buffer read in the QuantizeAndDequantize operation (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-7575](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-7575/): Integer Overflow or Wraparound in Google TensorFlow (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-37678](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-37678/): Arbitrary code execution due to YAML deserialization (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2021-35958](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-35958/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2020-15202](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15202/): Integer truncation in Shard API usage (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-37650 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-37650 is a high-severity memory corruption 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-37650 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- tensorflow (Bitnami): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.4, 2.4.3, 2.5.1
- tensorflow (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.3.4
- tensorflow (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.3.4
- tensorflow (PyPI): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.4, 2.4.3
- tensorflow (PyPI): affected from 2.4.0; fixed in 2.4.3
- tensorflow (PyPI): affected from 2.4.0; fixed in 2.4.3
- tensorflow (PyPI): affected from 2.5.0; fixed in 2.5.1
- tensorflow (PyPI): affected from 2.5.0; fixed in 2.5.1
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.3.4
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.3.4
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.4, 2.4.3
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): affected from 2.4.0; fixed in 2.4.3

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-37650/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-37650/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-37650
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-37650
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-37650

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-37650/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.
