CVE-2021-29574Public exploit

Process crash via unchecked empty tensors

Published May 14, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Null pointer dereference in affected Google TensorFlow releases allows local users to crash a process by supplying an empty tensor. The MaxPooling3dGradGradOp kernel in pooling_ops_3d.cc launches with tensor_in, tensor_out, or out_grad_backprop without first checking that the tensor contains elements, so element access dereferences null backing storage. Execution requires local ability to invoke tf.raw_ops.MaxPool3DGradGrad with a crafted empty input; the demonstrated consequence is termination of the TensorFlow process.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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 affected Google TensorFlow releases allows local users to crash a process by supplying an empty tensor. The MaxPooling3dGradGradOp kernel in pooling_ops_3d.cc launches with tensor_in, tensor_out, or out_grad_backprop without first checking that the tensor contains elements, so element access dereferences null backing storage. Execution requires local ability to invoke tf.raw_ops.MaxPool3DGradGrad with a crafted empty input; the demonstrated consequence is termination of the TensorFlow process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-29574
Published
May 14, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
TensorFlow
Classifications
T1499.004
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

7.8National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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