CVE-2021-29580

Process-aborting DoS via unchecked tensor ranks

Published May 14, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

TensorFlow affected versions 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 allow local authenticated users to interrupt processes via FractionalMaxPoolGrad. The implementation fails to validate that input and output tensors are non-empty and have matching rank, so malformed tensors can trigger undefined behavior or a failing CHECK that aborts execution. Exploitation requires code execution in the TensorFlow process and results in availability loss without demonstrated confidentiality or integrity impact.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

TensorFlow affected versions 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 allow local authenticated users to interrupt processes via FractionalMaxPoolGrad. The implementation fails to validate that input and output tensors are non-empty and have matching rank, so malformed tensors can trigger undefined behavior or a failing CHECK that aborts execution. Exploitation requires code execution in the TensorFlow process and results in availability loss without demonstrated confidentiality or integrity impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-29580
Published
May 14, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
TensorFlow
Classifications
CWE-908, T1499
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

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-908Use of Uninitialized Resource
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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