CVE-2021-29562: Denial of Service in TensorFlow
Summary
CVE-2021-29562: TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Affects tensorflow-cpu across 5 version ranges.
< 1c56f53be0b722ca657cbc7df461ed676c8642a2
< 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 · PyPI
- tensorflow · PyPI
- tensorflow-gpu · PyPI
The same CVE-2021-29562 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 building and deploying machine learning models. TensorFlow is widely used in various industries and research domains for tasks such as image recognition, natural language processing, and recommendation systems. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in TensorFlow that can lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability (CVE-2021-29562) in TensorFlow is caused by a CHECK-failure in the implementation of tf.raw_ops.IRFFT. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to trigger a DoS condition. The issue has been identified and will be fixed in TensorFlow 2.5.0. To ensure the security of older versions, the fix will also be backported to TensorFlow 2.4.2, TensorFlow 2.3.3, TensorFlow 2.2.3, and TensorFlow 2.1.4, as these versions are still within the supported range. The vulnerability affects the tensorflow-cpu package available on PyPI.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 2.21.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "tensorflow-cpu==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-cpu==2.1.4" -
>= 2.2.0, < 2.2.32.2.3pip install --upgrade "tensorflow-cpu==2.2.3" -
>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.32.3.3pip install --upgrade "tensorflow-cpu==2.3.3" -
>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.22.4.2pip install --upgrade "tensorflow-cpu==2.4.2"
Tip — Not sure which release line you're on? Vulert can find the fix for the version you are using. Scan free →
Workaround
No specific workaround has been provided for this vulnerability. It is recommended to apply the fix by updating to the patched versions mentioned above.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a vulnerability (CVE-2021-29562) has been identified in TensorFlow that can lead to a denial of service attack. It is crucial to update to the patched versions or upgrade to TensorFlow 2.5.0 when it becomes available to mitigate the risk. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for tensorflow-cpu →
FAQ
TensorFlow is an open source platform for machine learning that provides a comprehensive set of tools and resources for building and deploying machine learning models.
The vulnerability in TensorFlow can be exploited by an attacker to cause a denial of service, potentially disrupting the availability of the affected system or application.
The vulnerability affects TensorFlow versions 2.1.4, 2.2.3, 2.3.3, 2.4.2, and any version prior to 2.5.0.
To fix the vulnerability, it is recommended to update TensorFlow to version 2.5.0 or apply the respective patched versions: TensorFlow 2.4.2, TensorFlow 2.3.3, TensorFlow 2.2.3, or TensorFlow 2.1.4.
More information about this vulnerability can be found in the official TensorFlow repository and the PyPI advisory database.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for tensorflow-cpu.
