CVE-2021-41195: TensorFlow - Denial of Service Vulnerability
Summary
CVE-2021-41195: TensorFlow is an open source platform for machine learning. Affects tensorflow across 4 version ranges.
< 2.4.4
>= 2.5.0, < 2.5.2
>= 2.6.0, < 2.6.1
< e9c81c1e1a9cd8dd31f4e83676cab61b60658429
Fixed in 2.4.4, 2.5.2 or 2.6.1, depending on the release line you run. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- tensorflow · Bitnami
- tensorflow-cpu · PyPI
- tensorflow-gpu · PyPI
The same CVE-2021-41195 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 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 industries and research domains due to its flexibility, scalability, and extensive community support.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-41195 affects TensorFlow versions prior to 2.7.0. It specifically impacts the implementation of tf.math.segment_* operations. When a large segment id is provided in the segment_ids parameter, a CHECK-fail related abort occurs, leading to a denial of service (DoS) condition. This vulnerability is similar to previously reported vulnerabilities in TensorFlow, such as CVE-2021-29584. The issue arises from the computation of the output shape using AddDim, which can result in a CHECK failure and subsequent std::abort if the number of elements in the tensor exceeds the capacity of an int64_t value.
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.
-
< 2.4.42.4.4pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.4.4" -
>= 2.5.0, < 2.5.22.5.2pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.5.2" -
>= 2.6.0, < 2.6.12.6.1pip install --upgrade "tensorflow==2.6.1"
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Workaround
There is no specific workaround provided for this vulnerability. The recommended approach is to update to the fixed versions of TensorFlow.
Conclusion
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-41195 affects TensorFlow versions prior to 2.7.0 and can result in a denial of service (DoS) condition. Users are advised to update their TensorFlow installations to one of the fixed versions (2.7.0, 2.6.1, 2.5.2, or 2.4.4) to mitigate the risk. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for tensorflow →
FAQ
TensorFlow is an open source platform for machine learning that provides a comprehensive set of tools and libraries for developing and deploying machine learning models.
The vulnerability can lead to a denial of service (DoS) condition in TensorFlow applications if a large segment id is provided in the segment_ids parameter of tf.math.segment_* operations.
No, only versions prior to 2.7.0 are affected. However, it is recommended to update to the fixed versions even if using a version within the supported range.
No, the recommended approach is to update to the fixed versions of TensorFlow.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the TensorFlow advisory database: [link to advisory database]
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for tensorflow.
