CVE-2021-37692: TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions under certain conditions, Go code can trigger a segfault i...

Description

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions under certain conditions, Go code can trigger a segfault in string deallocation. For string tensors, `C.TF_TString_Dealloc` is called during garbage collection within a finalizer function. However, tensor structure isn't checked until encoding to avoid a performance penalty. The current method for dealloc assumes that encoding succeeded, but segfaults when a string tensor is garbage collected whose encoding failed (e.g., due to mismatched dimensions). To fix this, the call to set the finalizer function is deferred until `NewTensor` returns and, if encoding failed for a string tensor, deallocs are determined based on bytes written. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 8721ba96e5760c229217b594f6d2ba332beedf22. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, which is the other affected version.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.17%

6.8th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-20

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Google	Tensorflow	>= 2.5.0, < 2.6.0

References

https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/8721ba96e5760c229217b594f6d2ba332beedf22Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/pull/50508Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-cmgw-8vpc-rc59Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/8721ba96e5760c229217b594f6d2ba332beedf22Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/pull/50508Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-cmgw-8vpc-rc59Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Aug 12, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-37692?

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions under certain conditions, Go code can trigger a segfault in string deallocation. For string tensors, `C.TF_TString_Dealloc` is called during garbage collection within a finalizer function. However, tensor structure isn't checked until encoding to avoid a performance penalty. The current method for dealloc assumes that encoding succeeded, but segfaults when a string tensor is garbage collected whose encoding failed (e.g., due to mismatched dimensions). To fix this, the call to set the finalizer function is deferred until `NewTensor` returns and, if encoding failed for a string tensor, deallocs are determined based on bytes written. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 8721ba96e5760c229217b594f6d2ba332beedf22. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, which is the other affected version.

How severe is CVE-2021-37692?

CVE-2021-37692 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.17% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-37692?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.