CVE-2020-15190: Segfault in Tensorflow

Published Sep 25, 2020
·
Updated

Impact The tf.rawops.Switch operation takes as input a tensor and a boolean and outputs two tensors. Depending on the boolean value, one of the tensors is exactly the input tensor whereas the other one should be an empty tensor.

However, the eager runtime traverses all tensors in the output: https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/0e68f4d3295eb0281a517c3662f6698992b7b2cf/tensorflow/core/commonruntime/eager/kernelanddevice.cc#L308-L313

Since only one of the tensors is defined, the other one is nullptr, hence we are binding a reference to nullptr. This is undefined behavior and reported as an error if compiling with -fsanitize=null. In this case, this results in a segmentation fault

Patches We have patched the issue in da8558533d925694483d2c136a9220d6d49d843c and will release a patch release for all affected versions.

We recommend users to upgrade to TensorFlow 1.15.4, 2.0.3, 2.1.2, 2.2.1, or 2.3.1.

For more information Please consult our security guide 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.

Other sources

In Tensorflow before versions 1.15.4, 2.0.3, 2.1.2, 2.2.1 and 2.3.1, the tf.rawops.Switch operation takes as input a tensor and a boolean and outputs two tensors. Depending on the boolean value, one of the tensors is exactly the input tensor whereas the other one should be an empty tensor. However, the eager runtime traverses all tensors in the output. Since only one of the tensors is defined, the other one is nullptr, hence we are binding a reference to nullptr. This is undefined behavior and reported as an error if compiling with -fsanitize=null. In this case, this results in a segmentation fault The issue is patched in commit da8558533d925694483d2c136a9220d6d49d843c, and is released in TensorFlow versions 1.15.4, 2.0.3, 2.1.2, 2.2.1, or 2.3.1.

Affected Software

21 affected componentsFixes available
pip/tensorflow-gpu=2.3.0
2.3.1
pip/tensorflow-gpu=2.2.0
2.2.1
pip/tensorflow-gpu>=2.1.0<2.1.2
2.1.2
pip/tensorflow-gpu>=2.0.0<2.0.3
2.0.3
pip/tensorflow-gpu<1.15.4
1.15.4
pip/tensorflow-cpu=2.3.0
2.3.1
pip/tensorflow-cpu=2.2.0
2.2.1
pip/tensorflow-cpu>=2.1.0<2.1.2
2.1.2
pip/tensorflow-cpu>=2.0.0<2.0.3
2.0.3
pip/tensorflow-cpu<1.15.4
1.15.4
pip/tensorflow=2.3.0
2.3.1
pip/tensorflow=2.2.0
2.2.1
pip/tensorflow>=2.1.0<2.1.2
2.1.2
pip/tensorflow>=2.0.0<2.0.3
2.0.3
pip/tensorflow<1.15.4
1.15.4
Google TensorFlow<1.15.4
Google TensorFlow>=2.0.0<2.0.3
Google TensorFlow>=2.1.0<2.1.2
Google TensorFlow>=2.2.0<2.2.1
Google TensorFlow>=2.3.0<2.3.1
openSUSE Leap=15.2

Event History

Sep 25, 2020
Advisory Published
via GitHub·06:28 PM
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:35 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:35 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2020-15190?

CVE-2020-15190 is classified as a medium severity vulnerability.

2

How do I fix CVE-2020-15190?

To remediate CVE-2020-15190, upgrade TensorFlow to version 2.3.1 or later.

3

Which versions of TensorFlow are affected by CVE-2020-15190?

CVE-2020-15190 affects TensorFlow versions 2.3.0, 2.2.0, 2.1.0, 2.0.0, and all versions up to 1.15.4.

4

Is CVE-2020-15190 related to TensorFlow GPU versions?

Yes, CVE-2020-15190 impacts both TensorFlow GPU and CPU versions, specifically versions below 2.3.1.

5

What operation is implicated in CVE-2020-15190?

The vulnerability in CVE-2020-15190 involves the tf.raw_ops.Switch operation in TensorFlow.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203