CVE-2022-41911 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Understanding CVE-2022-41911

This CVE involves an invalid character to boolean conversion issue that occurs when printing a tensor in TensorFlow, an open-source platform for machine learning.

What is CVE-2022-41911?

When printing a tensor in TensorFlow, the underlying data is retrieved as a

const char*

array and then typecasted to the element type. However, conversions from

char

to

bool

can lead to crashes if the

char

is not

0

or

1

.

The Impact of CVE-2022-41911

The vulnerability in TensorFlow could be exploited by malicious actors using sanitizers or fuzzers to cause crashes, impacting the stability of the system. The issue has been addressed in the TensorFlow codebase.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-41911

This section provides specific technical details regarding the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from incorrect type conversion or cast (CWE-704) when handling character to boolean conversions in TensorFlow, leading to potential system crashes.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: TensorFlow
Product: TensorFlow
Affected Versions: TensorFlow 2.10.0 to 2.10.1, TensorFlow 2.9.0 to 2.9.3, TensorFlow < 2.8.4

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be triggered by processing tensors in TensorFlow that result in character to boolean type conversions, potentially leading to system instability.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2022-41911 and enhance security, certain measures can be taken.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update their TensorFlow installations to the patched versions, including TensorFlow 2.11.0 and the backported fixes for TensorFlow 2.10.1, 2.9.3, and 2.8.4.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and apply security patches released by TensorFlow to prevent exploit of known vulnerabilities such as type conversion issues.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely updating of TensorFlow to the latest secure versions to protect against potential exploits.