CVE-2021-29545 : What You Need to Know

TensorFlow is an open-source platform for machine learning. The vulnerability allows an attacker to trigger a denial of service through a heap buffer overflow in

SparseTensorToCSRSparseMatrix

. The issue arises due to a

CHECK

-fail when converting sparse tensors to CSR Sparse matrices. This vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS base score of 2.5 (Low Severity, Attack Complexity: High).

Understanding CVE-2021-29545

This section will delve into what CVE-2021-29545 is, the impact it has, technical details, and mitigation steps to safeguard your systems.

What is CVE-2021-29545?

CVE-2021-29545 is a vulnerability in TensorFlow that allows an attacker to exploit a heap buffer overflow in the

SparseTensorToCSRSparseMatrix

function, leading to a denial of service attack.

The Impact of CVE-2021-29545

The impact of this vulnerability is categorized as Low Severity, with the Attack Complexity rated as High. Although the confidentiality and integrity impacts are none, there can be unauthorized access and modification of data.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-29545

This section will cover the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability occurs due to a heap buffer overflow in

SparseTensorToCSRSparseMatrix

, where a double redirection can cause writing outside the bounds of heap-allocated data.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected versions include TensorFlow < 2.1.4, >= 2.2.0 and < 2.2.3, >= 2.3.0 and < 2.3.3, and >= 2.4.0 and < 2.4.2, impacting a range of supported releases.

Exploitation Mechanism

The attacker can exploit this vulnerability by triggering a

CHECK

-fail when converting sparse tensors to CSR Sparse matrices, leading to a denial of service attack.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we will explore immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

It is recommended to update TensorFlow to version 2.5.0 or apply the fix available in TensorFlow 2.4.2, 2.3.3, 2.2.3, and 2.1.4 to mitigate the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Ensure regular updates and patches are applied to all software to prevent security vulnerabilities from being exploited.

Patching and Updates

Keep abreast of security advisories and apply patches promptly to secure systems from known vulnerabilities.