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Security advisory

Type: advisorySources: OSVCVE: CVE-2021-37688

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions an attacker can craft a TFLite model that would trigger a null pointer dereference, which would result in a crash and denial of service. The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/149562d49faa709ea80df1d99fc41d005b81082a/tensorflow/lite/kernels/internal/optimized/optimized_ops.h#L268-L285) unconditionally dereferences a pointer. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 15691e456c7dc9bd6be203b09765b063bf4a380c. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.

Products
Not specified
Affected versions
Not specified
Fixed versions
Not specified
CVEs
CVE-2021-37688
Confirmed fixed CVEs
Not specified
Updated in this feed
31 Oct 2026, 12:38 UTC · Revision 1

Source evidence

CVE-2021-37688

core-osv · Original source

Published 12 Aug 2021, 22:15 UTC

TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions an attacker can craft a TFLite model that would trigger a null pointer dereference, which would result in a crash and denial of service. The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/149562d49faa709ea80df1d99fc41d005b81082a/tensorflow/lite/kernels/internal/optimized/optimized_ops.h#L268-L285) unconditionally dereferences a pointer. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 15691e456c7dc9bd6be203b09765b063bf4a380c. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.

osv:CVE-2021-37688
Complete source record
{
  "id": "de8e0ec8c21554122804651eebfdbf69f028969c842d9b354cacafa44fd2545f",
  "url": "https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-37688",
  "method": "structured",
  "payload": {
    "kind": "advisory",
    "title": "CVE-2021-37688",
    "summary": "TensorFlow is an end-to-end open source platform for machine learning. In affected versions an attacker can craft a TFLite model that would trigger a null pointer dereference, which would result in a crash and denial of service. The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/149562d49faa709ea80df1d99fc41d005b81082a/tensorflow/lite/kernels/internal/optimized/optimized_ops.h#L268-L285) unconditionally dereferences a pointer. We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 15691e456c7dc9bd6be203b09765b063bf4a380c. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.",
    "evidence": "osv:CVE-2021-37688",
    "products": [],
    "severity": "medium",
    "structured": {
      "id": "CVE-2021-37688",
      "aliases": [
        "BIT-tensorflow-2021-37688",
        "CVE-2021-37688",
        "GHSA-vcjj-9vg7-vf68",
        "PYSEC-2021-310",
        "PYSEC-2021-601",
        "PYSEC-2021-799"
      ],
      "metrics": [
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          "type": "CVSS_V3",
          "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
        }
      ],
      "affected": [
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                },
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                },
                {
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                },
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                },
                {
                  "fixed": "15691e456c7dc9bd6be203b09765b063bf4a380c"
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                    "range": [
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                      },
                      {
                        "fixed": "2.3.4"
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                    ],
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                  {
                    "cpe": "cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "range": [
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                        "introduced": "2.4.0"
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                    ],
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                  },
                  {
                    "cpe": "cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.6.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "range": [
                      {
                        "introduced": "2.6.0-rc1"
                      },
                      {
                        "last_affected": "2.6.0-rc1"
                      }
                    ],
                    "source": "CPE_STRING"
                  },
                  {
                    "cpe": "cpe:2.3:a:google:tensorflow:2.6.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "range": [
                      {
                        "introduced": "2.6.0-rc2"
                      },
                      {
                        "last_affected": "2.6.0-rc2"
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                    "source": "CPE_STRING"
                  },
                  {
                    "range": [
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                    ],
                    "source": "REFERENCES_COMMIT"
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                ]
              }
            }
          ],
          "versions": [
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            "2.6.0-rc0",
            "2.6.0-rc1",
            "2.6.0-rc2",
            "v2.3.3",
            "v2.4.2",
            "v2.3.2",
            "v2.4.1",
            "v2.4.0",
            "v2.3.1",
            "v2.3.0"
          ],
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/cve-osv-conversion/osv-output/CVE-2021-37688.json",
            "vanir_signatures": [
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                "id": "CVE-2021-37688-5be6e2b0",
                "digest": {
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                "source": "https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/15691e456c7dc9bd6be203b09765b063bf4a380c",
                "target": {
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                  "function": "BinaryBroadcastFiveFold"
                },
                "deprecated": false,
                "signature_type": "Function",
                "signature_version": "v1"
              },
              {
                "id": "CVE-2021-37688-aa14ff0e",
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                  "line_hashes": [
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                },
                "source": "https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/15691e456c7dc9bd6be203b09765b063bf4a380c",
                "target": {
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                "deprecated": false,
                "signature_type": "Line",
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            ],
            "vanir_signatures_modified": "2026-10-20T14:10:25Z"
          }
        }
      ],
      "modified": "2026-10-20T14:10:25.960913195Z",
      "provider": "osv",
      "references": [
        "https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-vcjj-9vg7-vf68",
        "https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/15691e456c7dc9bd6be203b09765b063bf4a380c"
      ],
      "provider_metadata": {}
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    "related_cves": [
      {
        "value": "CVE-2021-37688",
        "evidence": "/id"
      }
    ],
    "security_relevant": true,
    "severity_evidence": "/severity/0/score"
  },
  "source_id": "core-osv",
  "document_id": 388606,
  "published_at": "2021-08-12T22:15:09.067+00:00"
}