CVE-2021-29609
Incomplete validation in `SparseAdd`
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
5.3
Incomplete validation in `SparseAdd`
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
- Record
CVE-2021-29609- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-665
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-0350
5.3
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
- Record
EUVD-2021-0350- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-cjc7-49v2-jp64
5.8
Incomplete validation in `SparseAdd`
Impact
Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data:
import tensorflow as tf
a_indices = tf.zeros([10, 97], dtype=tf.int64)
a_values = tf.zeros([10], dtype=tf.int64)
a_shape = tf.zeros([0], dtype=tf.int64)
b_indices = tf.zeros([0, 0], dtype=tf.int64)
b_values = tf.zeros([0], dtype=tf.int64)
b_shape = tf.zeros([0], dtype=tf.int64)
thresh = 0
tf.raw_ops.SparseAdd(a_indices=a_indices,
a_values=a_values,
a_shape=a_shape,
b_indices=b_indices,
b_values=b_values,
b_shape=b_shape,
thresh=thresh)
The implementation has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation.
Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 6fd02f44810754ae7481838b6a67c5df7f909ca3 followed by GitHub commit 41727ff06111117bdf86b37db198217fd7a143cc.
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 Yakun Zhang and Ying Wang of Baidu X-Team.
- Record
GHSA-cjc7-49v2-jp64- CVSS 4.0
- 5.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-665, CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
5.3
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
- Record
CVE-2021-29609- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 4.6 Medium
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-665, CWE-476, CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
7.8
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
- Record
CVE-2021-29609- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-cjc7-49v2-jp64
5.8
Incomplete validation in `SparseAdd`
Impact
Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data:
import tensorflow as tf
a_indices = tf.zeros([10, 97], dtype=tf.int64)
a_values = tf.zeros([10], dtype=tf.int64)
a_shape = tf.zeros([0], dtype=tf.int64)
b_indices = tf.zeros([0, 0], dtype=tf.int64)
b_values = tf.zeros([0], dtype=tf.int64)
b_shape = tf.zeros([0], dtype=tf.int64)
thresh = 0
tf.raw_ops.SparseAdd(a_indices=a_indices,
a_values=a_values,
a_shape=a_shape,
b_indices=b_indices,
b_values=b_values,
b_shape=b_shape,
thresh=thresh)
The implementation has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation.
Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 6fd02f44810754ae7481838b6a67c5df7f909ca3 followed by GitHub commit 41727ff06111117bdf86b37db198217fd7a143cc.
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 Yakun Zhang and Ying Wang of Baidu X-Team.
- Record
GHSA-cjc7-49v2-jp64- CVSS 4.0
- 5.8 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-665, CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Show 4 moreShow less
OSVBIT-tensorflow-2021-29609 No score
Incomplete validation in `SparseAdd`
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
- Record
BIT-tensorflow-2021-29609- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2021-246 No score
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
- Record
PYSEC-2021-246- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2021-537 No score
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
- Record
PYSEC-2021-537- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2021-735 No score
TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. Incomplete validation in SparseAdd results in allowing attackers to exploit undefined behavior (dereferencing null pointers) as well as write outside of bounds of heap allocated data. The implementation(https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/656e7673b14acd7835dc778867f84916c6d1cac2/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_add_op.cc) has a large set of validation for the two sparse tensor inputs (6 tensors in total), but does not validate that the tensors are not empty or that the second dimension of *_indices matches the size of corresponding *_shape. This allows attackers to send tensor triples that represent invalid sparse tensors to abuse code assumptions that are not protected by validation. 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.
- Record
PYSEC-2021-735- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
tensorflowPyPI |
before 2.1.4 | 2.1.4 |
tensorflowPyPI |
2.2.0 up to 2.2.3 | 2.2.3 |
tensorflowPyPI |
2.3.0 up to 2.3.3 | 2.3.3 |
tensorflowPyPI |
2.4.0 up to 2.4.2 | 2.4.2 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
before 2.1.4 | 2.1.4 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
2.2.0 up to 2.2.3 | 2.2.3 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
2.3.0 up to 2.3.3 | 2.3.3 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
2.4.0 up to 2.4.2 | 2.4.2 |
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
before 2.1.4 | 2.1.4 |
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
2.2.0 up to 2.2.3 | 2.2.3 |
Show 18 moreShow less
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
2.3.0 up to 2.3.3 | 2.3.3 |
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
2.4.0 up to 2.4.2 | 2.4.2 |
tensorflowBitnami |
before 2.1.4, 2.2.0 up to 2.2.3, 2.3.0 up to 2.3.3, 2.4.0 up to 2.4.2 | 2.1.42.2.32.3.32.4.2 |
tensorflowPyPI |
before 2.1.4, plus listed versions 0.12.00.12.11.0.01.0.11.1.0 Show 35 moreShow less1.10.01.10.11.11.01.12.01.12.21.12.31.13.11.13.21.14.01.15.01.15.21.15.31.15.41.15.51.2.01.2.11.3.01.4.01.4.11.5.01.5.11.6.01.7.01.7.11.8.01.9.02.0.02.0.12.0.22.0.32.0.42.1.02.1.12.1.22.1.3 |
2.1.4 |
tensorflowPyPI |
2.2.0 up to 2.2.3, plus listed versions 2.2.12.2.2 |
2.2.3 |
tensorflowPyPI |
2.3.0 up to 2.3.3, plus listed versions 2.3.12.3.2 |
2.3.3 |
tensorflowPyPI |
2.4.0 up to 2.4.2, plus listed versions 2.4.1 |
2.4.2 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
before 2.1.4, plus listed versions 1.15.02.1.02.1.12.1.22.1.3 |
2.1.4 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
2.2.0 up to 2.2.3, plus listed versions 2.2.12.2.2 |
2.2.3 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
2.3.0 up to 2.3.3, plus listed versions 2.3.12.3.2 |
2.3.3 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
2.4.0 up to 2.4.2, plus listed versions 2.4.1 |
2.4.2 |
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
before 2.1.4, plus listed versions 0.12.00.12.11.0.01.0.11.1.0 Show 35 moreShow less1.10.01.10.11.11.01.12.01.12.21.12.31.13.11.13.21.14.01.15.01.15.21.15.31.15.41.15.51.2.01.2.11.3.01.4.01.4.11.5.01.5.11.6.01.7.01.7.11.8.01.9.02.0.02.0.12.0.22.0.32.0.42.1.02.1.12.1.22.1.3 |
2.1.4 |
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
2.2.0 up to 2.2.3, plus listed versions 2.2.12.2.2 |
2.2.3 |
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
2.3.0 up to 2.3.3, plus listed versions 2.3.12.3.2 |
2.3.3 |
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
2.4.0 up to 2.4.2, plus listed versions 2.4.1 |
2.4.2 |
tensorflowPyPI |
before 2.1.4, 2.2.0 up to 2.2.3, 2.3.0 up to 2.3.3, 2.4.0 up to 2.4.2, plus listed versions 0.12.00.12.0rc00.12.0rc10.12.11.0.0 Show 45 moreShow less1.0.11.1.01.1.0rc01.1.0rc11.1.0rc21.10.01.10.0rc01.10.0rc11.10.11.11.01.11.0rc01.11.0rc11.11.0rc21.12.01.12.0rc01.12.0rc11.12.0rc21.12.21.12.31.13.0rc01.13.0rc11.13.0rc21.13.11.13.21.14.01.14.0rc01.14.0rc11.15.01.15.0rc01.15.0rc11.15.0rc21.15.0rc31.15.21.15.31.15.41.15.51.2.01.2.0rc01.2.0rc11.2.0rc21.2.11.3.01.3.0rc01.3.0rc11.3.0rc2 |
2.1.42.2.32.3.32.4.2 |
tensorflow-cpuPyPI |
before 2.1.4, 2.2.0 up to 2.2.3, 2.3.0 up to 2.3.3, 2.4.0 up to 2.4.2, plus listed versions 1.15.02.1.02.1.12.1.22.1.3 Show 5 moreShow less2.2.12.2.22.3.12.3.22.4.1 |
2.1.42.2.32.3.32.4.2 |
tensorflow-gpuPyPI |
before 2.1.4, 2.2.0 up to 2.2.3, 2.3.0 up to 2.3.3, 2.4.0 up to 2.4.2, plus listed versions 0.12.00.12.11.0.01.0.11.1.0 Show 40 moreShow less1.10.01.10.11.11.01.12.01.12.21.12.31.13.11.13.21.14.01.15.01.15.21.15.31.15.41.15.51.2.01.2.11.3.01.4.01.4.11.5.01.5.11.6.01.7.01.7.11.8.01.9.02.0.02.0.12.0.22.0.32.0.42.1.02.1.12.1.22.1.32.2.12.2.22.3.12.3.22.4.1 |
2.1.42.2.32.3.32.4.2 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-29609 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.3) in Google Tensorflow, published May 14, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.23%, the 14th percentile. Fixed in tensorflow 2.1.4.
References
github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-cjc7-49v2-jp64
github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/41727ff06111117bdf86b37db198217fd7a143cc
github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/6fd02f44810754ae7481838b6a67c5df7f909ca3
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-29609
github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-537.yaml
github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-735.yaml
github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-246.yaml
github.com/advisories/GHSA-cjc7-49v2-jp64
Left out here: 45 versions. The JSON record has them.