CVE-2021-29523: TensorFlow - CHECK-fail in AddManySparseToTensorsMap
Summary
CVE-2021-29523: CHECK-fail in AddManySparseToTensorsMap. Affects tensorflow across 4 version ranges.
< 2.1.4
>= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3
>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3
>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2
Fixed in 4 releases; the minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- tensorflow · Bitnami
- tensorflow-cpu · PyPI
- tensorflow-gpu · PyPI
The same CVE-2021-29523 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
TensorFlow is an open-source machine learning framework developed by Google. It provides a comprehensive ecosystem of tools, libraries, and resources for building and deploying machine learning models. TensorFlow is widely used in various domains, including research, industry, and academia. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in TensorFlow that could lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2021-29523, exists in the tf.raw_ops.AddManySparseToTensorsMap function of TensorFlow. An attacker can trigger a DoS attack by exploiting a CHECK-fail in this function. The vulnerability arises from the implementation of the function, which uses the values specified in the sparse_shape parameter as dimensions for the output shape. This can result in an overflow when adding a dimension, leading to a CHECK-failure and subsequent DoS. The issue has been reported by Yakun Zhang and Ying Wang of Baidu X-Team.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 2.21.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.21.0"Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the versions below are the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you can't move to the latest
The minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run.
-
< 2.1.42.1.4pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.1.4" -
>= 2.2.0, < 2.2.32.2.3pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.2.3" -
>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.32.3.3pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.3.3" -
>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.22.4.2pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.4.2"
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Workaround
No specific workaround has been provided for this vulnerability.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in TensorFlow can lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack. It is important for users to update their TensorFlow installations to the patched version once it becomes available. Regularly updating TensorFlow and other dependencies is recommended to ensure the latest security fixes are applied. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for tensorflow →
FAQ
TensorFlow is an open-source machine learning framework developed by Google. It provides tools and resources for building and deploying machine learning models.
The vulnerability can be exploited to trigger a denial of service (DoS) attack, potentially disrupting the availability of TensorFlow-based systems.
The vulnerability was discovered by Yakun Zhang and Ying Wang of Baidu X-Team.
The vulnerability has been patched in TensorFlow commit 69c68ecbb24dff3fa0e46da0d16c821a2dd22d7c. Users should update their TensorFlow installations to the patched version once it becomes available.
Yes, the CVSS score for this vulnerability is 2.5.
References
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