CVE-2020-26267: Lack of validation in data format attributes in TensorFlow

Published Dec 10, 2020
·
Updated

Impact The tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute API does not validate the srcformat and dstformat attributes. The code assumes that these two arguments define a permutation of NHWC.

However, these assumptions are not checked and this can result in uninitialized memory accesses, read outside of bounds and even crashes.

python >> import tensorflow as tf >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[1,4], srcformat='1234', dstformat='1234') <tf.Tensor: shape=(2,), dtype=int32, numpy=array([4, 757100143], dtype=int32)> ... >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[1,4], srcformat='HHHH', dstformat='WWWW') <tf.Tensor: shape=(2,), dtype=int32, numpy=array([4, 32701], dtype=int32)> ... >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[1,4], srcformat='H', dstformat='W') <tf.Tensor: shape=(2,), dtype=int32, numpy=array([4, 32701], dtype=int32)> >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[1,2,3,4], srcformat='1234', dstformat='1253') <tf.Tensor: shape=(4,), dtype=int32, numpy=array([4, 2, 939037184, 3], dtype=int32)> ... >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[1,2,3,4], srcformat='1234', dstformat='1223') <tf.Tensor: shape=(4,), dtype=int32, numpy=array([4, 32701, 2, 3], dtype=int32)> ... >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[1,2,3,4], srcformat='1224', dstformat='1423') <tf.Tensor: shape=(4,), dtype=int32, numpy=array([1, 4, 3, 32701], dtype=int32)> ... >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[1,2,3,4], srcformat='1234', dstformat='432') <tf.Tensor: shape=(4,), dtype=int32, numpy=array([4, 3, 2, 32701], dtype=int32)> ... >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[1,2,3,4], srcformat='12345678', dstformat='87654321') munmapchunk(): invalid pointer Aborted ... >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[[1,5],[2,6],[3,7],[4,8]], srcformat='12345678', dstformat='87654321') <tf.Tensor: shape=(4, 2), dtype=int32, numpy= array([[71364624, 0], [71365824, 0], [ 560, 0], [ 48, 0]], dtype=int32)> ... >> tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute(x=[[1,5],[2,6],[3,7],[4,8]], srcformat='12345678', dstformat='87654321') free(): invalid next size (fast) Aborted

A similar issue occurs in tf.rawops.DataFormatDimMap, for the same reasons:

python >> tf.rawops.DataFormatDimMap(x=[[1,5],[2,6],[3,7],[4,8]], srcformat='1234', >> dstformat='8765') <tf.Tensor: shape=(4, 2), dtype=int32, numpy= array([[1954047348, 1954047348], [1852793646, 1852793646], [1954047348, 1954047348], [1852793632, 1852793632]], dtype=int32)>

Patches We have patched the issue in GitHub commit ebc70b7a592420d3d2f359e4b1694c236b82c7ae and will release TensorFlow 2.4.0 containing the patch. TensorFlow nightly packages after this commit will also have the issue resolved.

Since this issue also impacts TF versions before 2.4, we will patch all releases between 1.15 and 2.3 inclusive.

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 affected versions of TensorFlow the tf.rawops.DataFormatVecPermute API does not validate the srcformat and dstformat attributes. The code assumes that these two arguments define a permutation of NHWC. This can result in uninitialized memory accesses, read outside of bounds and even crashes. This is fixed in versions 1.15.5, 2.0.4, 2.1.3, 2.2.2, 2.3.2, and 2.4.0.

Affected Software

20 affected componentsFixes available
pip/tensorflow-gpu>=2.3.0<2.3.2
2.3.2
pip/tensorflow-gpu>=2.2.0<2.2.2
2.2.2
pip/tensorflow-gpu>=2.1.0<2.1.3
2.1.3
pip/tensorflow-gpu>=2.0.0<2.0.4
2.0.4
pip/tensorflow-gpu<1.15.5
1.15.5
pip/tensorflow-cpu>=2.3.0<2.3.2
2.3.2
pip/tensorflow-cpu>=2.2.0<2.2.2
2.2.2
pip/tensorflow-cpu>=2.1.0<2.1.3
2.1.3
pip/tensorflow-cpu>=2.0.0<2.0.4
2.0.4
pip/tensorflow-cpu<1.15.5
1.15.5
pip/tensorflow>=2.3.0<2.3.2
2.3.2
pip/tensorflow>=2.2.0<2.2.2
2.2.2
pip/tensorflow>=2.1.0<2.1.3
2.1.3
pip/tensorflow>=2.0.0<2.0.4
2.0.4
pip/tensorflow<1.15.5
1.15.5
Google TensorFlow<1.15.5
Google TensorFlow>=2.0.0<2.0.4
Google TensorFlow>=2.1.0<2.1.3
Google TensorFlow>=2.2.0<2.2.2
Google TensorFlow>=2.3.0<2.3.2

Event History

Dec 10, 2020
Advisory Published
via GitHub·07:07 PM
CVE Published
via MITRE·10:10 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·10:10 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·11:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the impact of CVE-2020-26267?

CVE-2020-26267 allows the `tf.raw_ops.DataFormatVecPermute` API to potentially use invalid attributes for `src_format` and `dst_format`, leading to improper behavior in TensorFlow.

2

What versions of TensorFlow are impacted by CVE-2020-26267?

CVE-2020-26267 affects TensorFlow versions prior to 2.3.2, including all versions from 1.15.5 up to 2.3.0.

3

How do I resolve CVE-2020-26267?

To fix CVE-2020-26267, upgrade TensorFlow to version 2.3.2 or any later version.

4

Is CVE-2020-26267 a critical vulnerability?

CVE-2020-26267 is classified as a high severity vulnerability that can affect the security of applications using TensorFlow.

5

Will updating to the latest version of TensorFlow fully mitigate CVE-2020-26267?

Yes, updating to TensorFlow version 2.3.2 or higher will fully mitigate the issues associated with CVE-2020-26267.

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