CVE-2021-37690

Use after free and segfault in shape inference functions in TensorFlow

MEDIUM
6.6
CVSS Score
Published: August 12, 2021 at 11:10 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 04:00 AM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsTensorflowTensorFlow

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Severity
MEDIUM6.6
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions when running shape functions, some functions (such as `MutableHashTableShape`) produce extra output information in the form of a `ShapeAndType` struct. The shapes embedded in this struct are owned by an inference context that is cleaned up almost immediately; if the upstream code attempts to access this shape information, it can trigger a segfault. `ShapeRefiner` is mitigating this for normal output shapes by cloning them (and thus putting the newly created shape under ownership of an inference context that will not die), but we were not doing the same for shapes and types. This commit fixes that by doing similar logic on output shapes and types. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit ee119d4a498979525046fba1c3dd3f13a039fbb1. 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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

2.3.0 ≤ v < 2.3.42.4.0 ≤ v < 2.4.32.5.02.6.0 rc02.6.0 rc12.6.0 rc2
Affected range stops below 2.3.4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 2.4.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v < 2.3.4v < 2.4.3v < 2.5.1
Affected range stops below 2.3.4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 2.4.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 2.5.1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

CVSS

6.6MEDIUMGitHub_M
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
LOW
Integrity
LOW
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-416

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