CVE-2021-37665: Incomplete validation in MKL requantization in TensorFlow

Published Aug 12, 2021
·
Updated

Impact Due to incomplete validation in MKL implementation of requantization, an attacker can trigger undefined behavior via binding a reference to a null pointer or can access data outside the bounds of heap allocated arrays:

python import tensorflow as tf

tf.rawops.RequantizationRangePerChannel( input=[], inputmin=[0,0,0,0,0], inputmax=[1,1,1,1,1], clipvaluemax=1) The implementation does not validate the dimensions of the input tensor.

A similar issue occurs in MklRequantizePerChannelOp:

python import tensorflow as tf from tensorflow.python.ops import genmathops

genmathops.requantizeperchannel( input=[], inputmin=[-100,-100,-100,-100,-100], inputmax=[-100,-100,-100], requestedoutputmin=[-100,-100,-100,-100,-100], requestedoutputmax=[], outtype=tf.int)

The implementation does not perform full validation for all the input arguments.

Patches We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 9e62869465573cb2d9b5053f1fa02a81fce21d69 and in the Github commit 203214568f5bc237603dbab6e1fd389f1572f5c9.

The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.

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

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions due to incomplete validation in MKL implementation of requantization, an attacker can trigger undefined behavior via binding a reference to a null pointer or can access data outside the bounds of heap allocated arrays. The implementation does not validate the dimensions of the input tensor. A similar issue occurs in MklRequantizePerChannelOp. The implementation does not perform full validation for all the input arguments. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 9e62869465573cb2d9b5053f1fa02a81fce21d69 and in the Github commit 203214568f5bc237603dbab6e1fd389f1572f5c9. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.

Affected Software

15 affected componentsFixes available
pip/tensorflow-gpu=2.5.0
2.5.1
pip/tensorflow-gpu>=2.4.0<2.4.3
2.4.3
pip/tensorflow-gpu<2.3.4
2.3.4
pip/tensorflow-cpu=2.5.0
2.5.1
pip/tensorflow-cpu>=2.4.0<2.4.3
2.4.3
pip/tensorflow-cpu<2.3.4
2.3.4
pip/tensorflow=2.5.0
2.5.1
pip/tensorflow>=2.4.0<2.4.3
2.4.3
pip/tensorflow<2.3.4
2.3.4
Google TensorFlow>=2.3.0<2.3.4
Google TensorFlow>=2.4.0<2.4.3
Google TensorFlow=2.5.0
Google TensorFlow=2.6.0-rc0
Google TensorFlow=2.6.0-rc1
Google TensorFlow=2.6.0-rc2

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow-gpu to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.5.1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow-gpu to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.4.3
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow-gpu to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.3.4
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow-cpu to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.5.1
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow-cpu to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.4.3
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow-cpu to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.3.4
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.5.1
  8. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.4.3
  9. Upgrade

    Upgrade pip/tensorflow to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.3.4
  10. Upgrade

    Upgrade tensorflow to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.6.0Patch GitHub commit 9e62869465573cb2d9b5053f1fa02a81fce21d69
  11. Upgrade

    Upgrade tensorflow to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Patch GitHub commit 203214568f5bc237603dbab6e1fd389f1572f5c9
  12. Upgrade

    Upgrade tensorflow to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.5.1Patch GitHub commit 9e62869465573cb2d9b5053f1fa02a81fce21d69
  13. Upgrade

    Upgrade tensorflow to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.4.3Patch GitHub commit 9e62869465573cb2d9b5053f1fa02a81fce21d69
  14. Upgrade

    Upgrade tensorflow to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.3.4Patch GitHub commit 9e62869465573cb2d9b5053f1fa02a81fce21d69

Event History

Aug 12, 2021
CVE Published
via MITRE·10:40 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·10:40 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·11:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Aug 25, 2021
Advisory Published
via GitHub·02:42 PM

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2021-37665?

CVE-2021-37665 has been classified as a high severity vulnerability due to the risk of undefined behavior and potential data leak.

2

How do I fix CVE-2021-37665?

To fix CVE-2021-37665, users should upgrade to TensorFlow version 2.5.1 or later, or update to 2.4.3 or 2.3.4 depending on their version.

3

What software is affected by CVE-2021-37665?

CVE-2021-37665 affects TensorFlow versions 2.3.0 to 2.3.4, 2.4.0 to 2.4.3, and 2.5.0, as well as release candidates of version 2.6.0.

4

What type of vulnerabilities does CVE-2021-37665 include?

CVE-2021-37665 includes vulnerabilities related to incomplete validation in the MKL implementation leading to memory access issues.

5

Is CVE-2021-37665 being actively exploited?

As of now, there is no public information indicating that CVE-2021-37665 is being actively exploited in the wild.

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