CVE-2021-29597 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This article provides details about CVE-2021-29597, a vulnerability found in TensorFlow's implementation of

SpaceToBatchNd

TFLite operator, potentially leading to a division by zero error.

Understanding CVE-2021-29597

This section will cover what CVE-2021-29597 entails, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2021-29597?

CVE-2021-29597 is a vulnerability in TensorFlow where the

SpaceToBatchNd

TFLite operator can be exploited by an attacker due to a division by zero error.

The Impact of CVE-2021-29597

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 2.5 (Low severity) with a high attack complexity and local attack vector. It can potentially allow an attacker to manipulate a model, affecting systems running specific TensorFlow versions.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-29597

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

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a division by zero error in the implementation of the

SpaceToBatchNd

TFLite operator within TensorFlow, allowing attackers to craft malicious models.

Affected Systems and Versions

The impacted versions of TensorFlow include < 2.1.4, >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3, >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3, and >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by manipulating the

block

input dimension to 0, resulting in a corresponding value of 0 in

block_shape

.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section will offer insights into immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update TensorFlow to version 2.5.0 to mitigate the vulnerability. For versions still under support, including TensorFlow 2.4.2, 2.3.3, 2.2.3, and 2.1.4, a fix will be cherrypicked.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long term, users should regularly update TensorFlow and other dependencies, follow secure coding practices, and stay informed about potential vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

To address CVE-2021-29597, users must apply the recommended patches and updates provided by TensorFlow, ensuring their systems are protected.