Crash in NMS ops caused by integer conversion to unsigned
Medium5.5CVE-2021-37669 · Published Aug 25, 2021 · updated Jul 8, 2026
### Impact An attacker can cause denial of service in applications serving models using `tf.raw_ops.NonMaxSuppressionV5` by triggering a division by 0: ```python import tensorflow as tf tf.raw_ops.NonMaxSuppressionV5( boxes=[[0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1],[0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2],[0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3]], scores=[1.0,2.0,3.0], max_output_size=-1, iou_threshold=0.5, score_threshold=0.5, soft_nms_sigma=1.0, pad_to_max_output_size=True) ``` The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/460e000de3a83278fb00b61a16d161b1964f15f4/tensorflow/core/kernels/image/non_max_suppression_op.cc#L170-L271) uses a user controlled argument to resize a `std::vector`: ```cc const int output_size = max_output_size.scalar<int>()(); // ... std::vector<int> selected; // ... if (pad_to_max_output_size) { selected.resize(output_size, 0); // ... } ``` However, as `std::vector::resize` takes the size argument as a `size_t` and `output_size` is an `int`, there is an implicit conversion to usigned. If the attacker supplies a negative value, this conversion results in a crash. A similar issue occurs in `CombinedNonMaxSuppression`: ```python import tensorflow as tf tf.raw_ops.No...
Affected versions
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| tensorflow PyPI | < 2.3.4 | 2.3.4 |
| >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3 | 2.4.3 | |
| >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1 | 2.5.1 |
Details and references
### Impact An attacker can cause denial of service in applications serving models using `tf.raw_ops.NonMaxSuppressionV5` by triggering a division by 0: ```python import tensorflow as tf tf.raw_ops.NonMaxSuppressionV5( boxes=[[0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1],[0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2],[0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3]], scores=[1.0,2.0,3.0], max_output_size=-1, iou_threshold=0.5, score_threshold=0.5, soft_nms_sigma=1.0, pad_to_max_output_size=True) ``` The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/460e000de3a83278fb00b61a16d161b1964f15f4/tensorflow/core/kernels/image/non_max_suppression_op.cc#L170-L271) uses a user controlled argument to resize a `std::vector`: ```cc const int output_size = max_output_size.scalar<int>()(); // ... std::vector<int> selected; // ... if (pad_to_max_output_size) { selected.resize(output_size, 0); // ... } ``` However, as `std::vector::resize` takes the size argument as a `size_t` and `output_size` is an `int`, there is an implicit conversion to usigned. If the attacker supplies a negative value, this conversion results in a crash. A similar issue occurs in `CombinedNonMaxSuppression`: ```python import tensorflow as tf tf.raw_ops.NonMaxSuppressionV5( boxes=[[[[0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1],[0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2],[0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3]],[[0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1],[0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2],[0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3]],[[0.1,0.1,0.1,0.1],[0.2,0.2,0.2,0.2],[0.3,0.3,0.3,0.3]]]], scores=[[[1.0,2.0,3.0],[1.0,2.0,3.0],[1.0,2.0,3.0]]], max_output_size_per_class=-1, max_total_size=10, iou_threshold=score_threshold=0.5, pad_per_class=True, clip_boxes=True) ``` ### Patches We have patched the issue in GitHub commit [3a7362750d5c372420aa8f0caf7bf5b5c3d0f52d](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/3a7362750d5c372420aa8f0caf7bf5b5c3d0f52d) and commit [b5cdbf12ffcaaffecf98f22a6be5a64bb96e4f58](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/b5cdbf12ffcaaffecf98f22a6be5a64bb96e4f58). The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range. ### 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:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- Severity from
- GitHub (reviewed advisory)
- Weakness
- CWE-681
- Also known as
- BIT-tensorflow-2021-37669, CVE-2021-37669, PYSEC-2021-291, PYSEC-2021-582, PYSEC-2021-780
- github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-vmjw-c2vp-p33c
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-37669
- github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/3a7362750d5c372420aa8f0caf7bf5b5c3d0f52d
- github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/b5cdbf12ffcaaffecf98f22a6be5a64bb96e4f58
- github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-582.yaml
- github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-780.yaml
- github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-291.yaml
- github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow
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