CVE-2021-29518Public exploit

Process crash via unchecked null session state

Published May 14, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Null pointer dereference in TensorFlow allows local users to crash an eager-mode process through raw session operations. GetSessionTensorOp and DeleteSessionTensorOp dereference ctx->session_state() without first rejecting the null value supplied in eager mode. The caller must already execute code in the process; affected releases are before 2.1.4, 2.2.0 through 2.2.2, 2.3.0 through 2.3.2, and 2.4.0 through 2.4.1.

CVSS severity2.5
Low
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Null pointer dereference in TensorFlow allows local users to crash an eager-mode process through raw session operations. GetSessionTensorOp and DeleteSessionTensorOp dereference ctx->session_state() without first rejecting the null value supplied in eager mode. The caller must already execute code in the process; affected releases are before 2.1.4, 2.2.0 through 2.2.2, 2.3.0 through 2.3.2, and 2.4.0 through 2.4.1.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-29518
Published
May 14, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
TensorFlow
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 14, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 2.1.4
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3
  3. Affected versionversion=>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3
  4. Affected versionversion=>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google · TensorFlowversion=< 2.1.4; version=>= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3; version=>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3; version=>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
2.5GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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