AI and data stack advisories

Severe, 6 weeks1498Projects326

1498 severe, 6 weeks · 326 projects

TensorFlowGHSA-hr84-fqvp-48mm

Segfault in SparseCountSparseOutput

TensorFlow

CVE-2021-29521 · Published May 21, 2021 · updated Sep 10, 2026

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

Impact

Specifying a negative dense shape in tf.raw_ops.SparseCountSparseOutput results in a segmentation fault being thrown out from the standard library as std::vector invariants are broken.

```python

import tensorflow as tf

indices = tf.constant([], shape=[0, 0], dtype=tf.int64)

values = tf.constant([], shape=[0, 0], dtype=tf.int64)

dense_shape = tf.constant([-100, -100, -100], shape=[3], dtype=tf.int64)

weights = tf.constant([], shape=[0, 0], dtype=tf.int64)

tf.raw_ops.SparseCountSparseOutput(indices=indices, values=values, dense_shape=dense_shape, weights=weights, minlength=79, maxlength=96, binary_output=False)

`

This is because the [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/8f7b60ee8c0206a2c99802e3a4d1bb55d2bc0624/tensorflow/core/kernels/count_ops.cc#L199-L213) assumes the first element of the dense shape is always positive and uses it to initialize a BatchedMap<T> (i.e., [std::vector<absl::flat_hash_map<int64,T>>](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/8f7b60ee8c0206a2c99802e3a4d1bb55d2bc0624/tensorflow/core/kernels/count_ops.cc#L27)) data structure.

```cc

bool is_1d = shape.NumElements() == 1;

int num_batches = is_1d ? 1 : shape.flat<int64>()(0);

...

auto per_batch_counts = BatchedMap<W>(num_batches);

`

If the shape tensor has more than one element, num_batches is the first value in shape.

Ensuring that...

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 Specifying a negative dense shape in `tf.raw_ops.SparseCountSparseOutput` results in a segmentation fault being thrown out from the standard library as `std::vector` invariants are broken. ```python import tensorflow as tf indices = tf.constant([], shape=[0, 0], dtype=tf.int64) values = tf.constant([], shape=[0, 0], dtype=tf.int64) dense_shape = tf.constant([-100, -100, -100], shape=[3], dtype=tf.int64) weights = tf.constant([], shape=[0, 0], dtype=tf.int64) tf.raw_ops.SparseCountSparseOutput(indices=indices, values=values, dense_shape=dense_shape, weights=weights, minlength=79, maxlength=96, binary_output=False) ``` This is because the [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/8f7b60ee8c0206a2c99802e3a4d1bb55d2bc0624/tensorflow/core/kernels/count_ops.cc#L199-L213) assumes the first element of the dense shape is always positive and uses it to initialize a `BatchedMap<T>` (i.e., [`std::vector<absl::flat_hash_map<int64,T>>`](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/8f7b60ee8c0206a2c99802e3a4d1bb55d2bc0624/tensorflow/core/kernels/count_ops.cc#L27)) data structure. ```cc bool is_1d = shape.NumElements() == 1; int num_batches = is_1d ? 1 : shape.flat<int64>()(0); ... auto per_batch_counts = BatchedMap<W>(num_batches); ``` If the `shape` tensor has more than one element, `num_batches` is the first value in `shape`. Ensuring that the `dense_shape` argument is a valid tensor shape (that is, all elements are non-negative) solves this issue. ### Patches We have patched the issue in GitHub commit [c57c0b9f3a4f8684f3489dd9a9ec627ad8b599f5](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/c57c0b9f3a4f8684f3489dd9a9ec627ad8b599f5). 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. ### 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 Yakun Zhang and Ying Wang of Baidu X-Team.

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-131
Also known as
BIT-tensorflow-2021-29521, CVE-2021-29521, PYSEC-2021-158, PYSEC-2021-449, PYSEC-2021-647

More TensorFlow advisories

All TensorFlow