CVE-2021-37652Public exploit

Process memory corruption via duplicate resource release

Published Aug 12, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Use-after-free in Google TensorFlow before 2.3.4, 2.4.0 through 2.4.2, and 2.5.0 lets local users crash a process via crafted arguments. BoostedTreesCreateEnsemble decrements a reference-counted resource after failed initialization, but its unique_ptr then releases the same object again and cleanup accesses freed members. Exploitation requires local code execution able to invoke the raw operation with an invalid serialized ensemble and corrupts the calling process during cleanup.

CVSS severity8.5
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Google TensorFlow before 2.3.4, 2.4.0 through 2.4.2, and 2.5.0 lets local users crash a process via crafted arguments. BoostedTreesCreateEnsemble decrements a reference-counted resource after failed initialization, but its unique_ptr then releases the same object again and cleanup accesses freed members. Exploitation requires local code execution able to invoke the raw operation with an invalid serialized ensemble and corrupts the calling process during cleanup.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-37652
Published
Aug 12, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
TensorFlow
Classifications
CWE-416, CWE-415
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 12, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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=< 2.3.4
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3
  3. Affected versionversion=>= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google · TensorFlowversion=< 2.3.4; version=>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3; version=>= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1

Published CVSS scores

4.6NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.5GitHubCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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-416Use After Free
CWE-415Double Free

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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