CVE-2021-37674Public exploit

Process crash via unvalidated empty pooling tensors

Published Aug 12, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper input validation in Google TensorFlow before 2.3.4, 2.4.0 through 2.4.2, and 2.5.0 allows local users to crash a process. The MaxPoolGrad kernel accepts empty orig_input and orig_output tensors and continues into pooling calculations that end in a segmentation fault. Exploitation requires the ability to submit crafted tensors to a local TensorFlow execution context, and the reported consequence is limited to that process crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Google TensorFlow before 2.3.4, 2.4.0 through 2.4.2, and 2.5.0 allows local users to crash a process. The MaxPoolGrad kernel accepts empty orig_input and orig_output tensors and continues into pooling calculations that end in a segmentation fault. Exploitation requires the ability to submit crafted tensors to a local TensorFlow execution context, and the reported consequence is limited to that process crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-37674
Published
Aug 12, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
TensorFlow
Classifications
CWE-1284, CWE-20, T1499.004
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

5.5GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/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

CWE-1284Improper Validation of Specified Quantity in Input
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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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