CVE-2021-37674: TensorFlow Denial of Service Vulnerability
Summary
CVE-2021-37674: TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Affects tensorflow across 3 version ranges.
>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.4
>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3
< 136b51f10903e044308cf77117c0ed9871350475
Fixed in 2.3.4 or 2.4.3, depending on the release line you run. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- tensorflow · Bitnami
- tensorflow-cpu · PyPI
- tensorflow-gpu · PyPI
The same CVE-2021-37674 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 end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. It provides a comprehensive ecosystem of tools, libraries, and resources for developing and deploying machine learning models. TensorFlow is widely used in various domains, including research, industry, and academia. This vulnerability affects the TensorFlow package and can lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability (CVE-2021-37674) in TensorFlow is caused by a missing validation in the tf.raw_ops.MaxPoolGrad function. An attacker can trigger a segmentation fault by exploiting this vulnerability. The issue was initially addressed in a previous fix (CVE-2021-29579), but the fix was incomplete. The affected versions of TensorFlow include 2.3.0 to 2.3.4, 2.4.0 to 2.4.3, and 2.5.0. The impact of this vulnerability is a DoS attack, which can disrupt the availability of TensorFlow applications and services.
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.
-
>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.42.3.4pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.3.4" -
>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.32.4.3pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.4.3"
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Workaround
There is no specific workaround mentioned for this vulnerability.
Conclusion
The TensorFlow package is vulnerable to a denial of service (DoS) attack due to a missing validation in the tf.raw_ops.MaxPoolGrad function. It is crucial to update to the fixed versions of TensorFlow or apply the provided fix to mitigate the risk of a DoS attack. For further assistance on vulnerability remediation, you can reach out to DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for tensorflow →
FAQ
TensorFlow is an open source platform for machine learning that provides tools and resources for developing and deploying machine learning models.
The vulnerability can lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack, which can disrupt the availability of TensorFlow applications and services.
The affected versions include TensorFlow 2.3.0 to 2.3.4, 2.4.0 to 2.4.3, and 2.5.0.
Yes, the vulnerability has been fixed in TensorFlow 2.6.0. The fix is also available in TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4.
To apply the fix, update TensorFlow to version 2.6.0. Alternatively, you can cherrypick the commit 136b51f10903e044308cf77117c0ed9871350475 on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4.
References
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