CVE-2021-29513

EUVD-2021-0254 · Published May 21, 2021

Type confusion during tensor casts lead to dereferencing null pointers

Impact

Calling TF operations with tensors of non-numeric types when the operations expect numeric tensors result in null pointer dereferences.

There are multiple ways to reproduce this, listing a few examples here:

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np
data = tf.random.truncated_normal(shape=1,mean=np.float32(20.8739),stddev=779.973,dtype=20,seed=64)

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np
data =
tf.random.stateless_truncated_normal(shape=1,seed=[63,70],mean=np.float32(20.8739),stddev=779.973,dtype=20)

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np
data = tf.one_hot(indices=[62,50],depth=136,on_value=np.int32(237),off_value=158,axis=856,dtype=20)

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np
data = tf.range(start=np.int32(214),limit=660,delta=129,dtype=20)

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np
data = tf.raw_ops.ResourceCountUpTo(resource=np.int32(30), limit=872, T=3)

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np

writer_array = np.array([1,2],dtype=np.int32)
writer_tensor = tf.convert_to_tensor(writer_array,dtype=tf.resource)

All these examples and similar ones have the same behavior: the conversion from Python array to C++ array is vulnerable to a type confusion:

  int pyarray_type = PyArray_TYPE(array);
  PyArray_Descr* descr = PyArray_DESCR(array);
  switch (pyarray_type) {
    ...
    case NPY_VOID:
      // Quantized types are currently represented as custom struct types.
      // PyArray_TYPE returns NPY_VOID for structs, and we should look into
      // descr to derive the actual type.
      // Direct feeds of certain types of ResourceHandles are represented as a
      // custom struct type.
      return PyArrayDescr_to_TF_DataType(descr, out_tf_datatype);
    ...
  }

For the tensor types involved in the above example, the pyarray_type is NPY_VOID but the descr field is such that descr->field = NULL. Then PyArrayDescr_to_TF_DataType will trigger a null dereference:

Status PyArrayDescr_to_TF_DataType(PyArray_Descr* descr,
                                   TF_DataType* out_tf_datatype) {
  PyObject* key;
  PyObject* value;
  Py_ssize_t pos = 0;
  if (PyDict_Next(descr->fields, &pos, &key, &value)) {
    ...
  }
}

This is because the Python's PyDict_Next implementation would dereference the first argument.

Patches

We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 030af767d357d1b4088c4a25c72cb3906abac489.

The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.5.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.4.2, TensorFlow 2.3.3, TensorFlow 2.2.3 and TensorFlow 2.1.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.

For more information

Please consult our security guide for more information regarding the security model and how to contact us with issues and questions.

Attribution

This vulnerability has been reported by members of the Aivul Team from Qihoo 360 as well as Ye Zhang and Yakun Zhang of Baidu X-Team.

Technologies

Google TensorflowTensorflow-Gpu Tensorflow-GpuTensorflow TensorflowTensorflow-Cpu Tensorflow-Cpu

Weaknesses

CWE-843CWE-476

CVSS scores

v3.12.5CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

MITRE ATT&CK

Inferred

Where this vulnerability fits in an attack

ReconImpact

Privilege Escalation

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

References

Potentially impacted assets

See if this affects your attack surface

Latest trending attack

Critical2d ago

Google Brotli decoder - Remote Code Execution via compressed requests (Exploitation Check)

This control is the second step of the Patrowl response to CVE-2026-111497 (Node2Shell). It complements the first control of 22 October 2026, which focused on the Node.js runtime, and does not replace it. Why a second control CVE-2026-111497 is an out-of-bounds write in the Google Brotli decoder, the library that decompresses Brotli ("br") data. It was first published as a Node.js vulnerability, because Node.js bundles this decoder. Later publications showed that the flaw is in the library itself. Every product that embeds an affected version of the decoder is concerned, whatever its language or vendor. A public proof of concept demonstrates code execution. Any server that decompresses request bodies sent with "Content-Encoding: br" exposes the decoder to unauthenticated attackers. Known cases include Express 5 and NestJS 11 on Node.js, Koa and Fastify setups, Bun, Envoy and Istio with request decompression enabled, and any application or reverse proxy that decodes Brotli request bodies with an affected library. The flaw also works in the other direction. A malicious server can compromise an unpatched client that decodes a Brotli response, for example Node.js fetch(), Python clients (requests, httpx, aiohttp, Scrapy) with the Brotli or brotlicffi package, or libcurl builds with Brotli support. What this control checks Patrowl sends small, valid Brotli-compressed requests to each asset and observes whether the server decodes them. The check does not depend on the technology: it detects the behaviour, whatever the stack behind it. These requests are what any legitimate client could send. They never reach the vulnerable code path and cannot affect the availability of the service. How to read the result Potentially impacted means the asset decodes Brotli request bodies: the attack surface is exposed. It does not confirm that the asset is vulnerable. The version of the Brotli decoder in use is not visible from the outside. This check covers applications that parse request bodies on their root path. A Not impacted result does not rule out exposure on other routes, nor on the client side. Checking the versions on the servers remains the only exhaustive verification. Affected and fixed versions Google Brotli 1.0.3 to 1.2.0 are affected, fixed in 1.0.10, 1.1.1 and 1.2.1. Fixed releases of the main products embedding it: Node.js 22.23.4, 24.22.1 and 26.12.1 (end-of-life lines 20.x and older and 25.x receive no fix), Bun 1.4.4, Envoy 1.37.8, 1.38.6, 1.39.3 and 1.40.0, Istio 1.29.9, 1.30.6 and 1.31.2, Python Brotli 1.2.1 and brotlicffi 1.2.1.0. Products that link against the system library depend on the Brotli package of the Linux distribution. Recommendations Update every component that embeds the Brotli decoder (only real fix). Start with the assets flagged by this control. Restart the processes after the update. Rebuild containers, single-executable applications and appliances that bundle an affected runtime or library. Reduce the exposure until the update is deployed. Reject requests with "Content-Encoding: br" at the reverse proxy, load balancer or WAF, case-insensitively and including lists such as "gzip, br". On Envoy and Istio, disable request decompression for Brotli. Review outbound calls. List the features that fetch content from servers you do not control, and patch the services that host them first.