CVE-2021-41220 : What You Need to Know

TensorFlow is an open source platform for machine learning. The async implementation of

CollectiveReduceV2

in affected versions suffers from a memory leak and use after free vulnerability.

Understanding CVE-2021-41220

In TensorFlow versions >= 2.6.0 and < 2.6.1, there is a critical issue with the async implementation of

CollectiveReduceV2

.

What is CVE-2021-41220?

The vulnerability arises from the asynchronous computation where objects that have been moved from are still accessed, leading to a memory leak and use after free.

The Impact of CVE-2021-41220

The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.8, indicating a high severity issue with impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It requires low privileges but has a high attack complexity.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-41220

In-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The async implementation of

CollectiveReduceV2

allows the leakage of memory and leads to a use after free scenario due to objects being accessed after being moved from.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: TensorFlow
Vendor: TensorFlow
Versions: >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.1

Exploitation Mechanism

The issue occurs due to asynchronous computation and accessing objects that have been moved from, creating a memory leak and use after free vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

Crucial steps to address the CVE-2021-41220 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update TensorFlow to version 2.7.0 or above to fix the vulnerability.
Apply the patch provided by TensorFlow for version 2.6.1 to address the issue.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and libraries to the latest versions.
Conduct security audits and code reviews to identify and mitigate similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely application of patches and updates from TensorFlow to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.