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1496 severe, 6 weeks · 326 projects

TensorFlowGHSA-8h46-5m9h-7553

Heap out of bounds write in `RaggedBinCount`

TensorFlow

CVE-2021-29514 · Published May 21, 2021 · updated Jul 8, 2026

Low2.5
Fix: upgrade to 2.3.3 or later (2 fixed versions below)
GitHub advisory

Impact

If the splits argument of RaggedBincount does not specify a valid [SparseTensor](https://www.tensorflow.org/api_docs/python/tf/sparse/SparseTensor), then an attacker can trigger a heap buffer overflow:

```python

import tensorflow as tf

tf.raw_ops.RaggedBincount(splits=[7,8], values= [5, 16, 51, 76, 29, 27, 54, 95],\

size= 59, weights= [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],\

binary_output=False)

`

This will cause a read from outside the bounds of the splits tensor buffer in the [implementation of the RaggedBincount op](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/8b677d79167799f71c42fd3fa074476e0295413a/tensorflow/core/kernels/bincount_op.cc#L430-L446):

```cc

for (int idx = 0; idx < num_values; ++idx) {

while (idx >= splits(batch_idx)) {

batch_idx++;

}

...

if (bin < size) {

if (binary_output_) {

out(batch_idx - 1, bin) = T(1);

} else {

T value = (weights_size > 0) ? weights(idx) : T(1);

out(batch_idx - 1, bin) += value;

}

}

}

`

Before the for loop, batch_idx is set to 0. The attacker sets splits(0) to be 7, hence the while loop does not execute and batch_idx remains 0. This then results in writing to out(-1, bin), which is before the heap allocated buffer for the output tensor.

Patches

We have...

Affected versions

PackageAffectedFixed in
tensorflow
PyPI
>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.32.3.3
>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.22.4.2
Details and references

### Impact If the `splits` argument of `RaggedBincount` does not specify a valid [`SparseTensor`](https://www.tensorflow.org/api_docs/python/tf/sparse/SparseTensor), then an attacker can trigger a heap buffer overflow: ```python import tensorflow as tf tf.raw_ops.RaggedBincount(splits=[7,8], values= [5, 16, 51, 76, 29, 27, 54, 95],\ size= 59, weights= [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],\ binary_output=False) ``` This will cause a read from outside the bounds of the `splits` tensor buffer in the [implementation of the `RaggedBincount` op](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/8b677d79167799f71c42fd3fa074476e0295413a/tensorflow/core/kernels/bincount_op.cc#L430-L446): ```cc for (int idx = 0; idx < num_values; ++idx) { while (idx >= splits(batch_idx)) { batch_idx++; } ... if (bin < size) { if (binary_output_) { out(batch_idx - 1, bin) = T(1); } else { T value = (weights_size > 0) ? weights(idx) : T(1); out(batch_idx - 1, bin) += value; } } } ``` Before the `for` loop, `batch_idx` is set to 0. The attacker sets `splits(0)` to be 7, hence the `while` loop does not execute and `batch_idx` remains 0. This then results in writing to `out(-1, bin)`, which is before the heap allocated buffer for the output tensor. ### Patches We have patched the issue in GitHub commit [eebb96c2830d48597d055d247c0e9aebaea94cd5](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/eebb96c2830d48597d055d247c0e9aebaea94cd5). The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.5.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.4.2 and TensorFlow 2.3.3, as these are also affected. ### For more information Please consult [our security guide](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/master/SECURITY.md) 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.

CVSS 3.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Severity from
GitHub (reviewed advisory)
Weakness
CWE-787
Also known as
BIT-tensorflow-2021-29514, CVE-2021-29514, PYSEC-2021-151, PYSEC-2021-442, PYSEC-2021-640

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