{"schema_version":"1.7.5","id":"GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc","published":"2021-08-25T14:42:26Z","modified":"2026-07-08T06:27:57.484819368Z","aliases":["BIT-tensorflow-2021-37662","CVE-2021-37662","PYSEC-2021-284","PYSEC-2021-575","PYSEC-2021-773"],"summary":"Reference binding to nullptr in boosted trees","details":"### Impact\nAn attacker can generate undefined behavior via a reference binding to nullptr in `BoostedTreesCalculateBestGainsPerFeature`:\n\n```python\nimport tensorflow as tf\n\ntf.raw_ops.BoostedTreesCalculateBestGainsPerFeature(\n  node_id_range=[],\n  stats_summary_list=[[1,2,3]],\n  l1=[1.0],\n  l2=[1.0],\n  tree_complexity =[1.0],\n  min_node_weight =[1.17],\n  max_splits=5)\n```\n\nA similar attack can occur in `BoostedTreesCalculateBestFeatureSplitV2`:\n\n```python\nimport tensorflow as tf\n                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          \ntf.raw_ops.BoostedTreesCalculateBestFeatureSplitV2(\n  node_id_range=[],\n  stats_summaries_list=[[1,2,3]],\n  split_types=[''],\n  candidate_feature_ids=[1,2,3,4],\n  l1=[1],     \n  l2=[1],\n  tree_complexity=[1.0],\n  min_node_weight=[1.17],\n  logits_dimension=5)\n```     \n    \nThe  [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/84d053187cb80d975ef2b9684d4b61981bca0c41/tensorflow/core/kernels/boosted_trees/stats_ops.cc) does not validate the input values.\n\n### Patches\nWe have patched the issue in GitHub commit [9c87c32c710d0b5b53dc6fd3bfde4046e1f7a5ad](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/9c87c32c710d0b5b53dc6fd3bfde4046e1f7a5ad) and in commit. [429f009d2b2c09028647dd4bb7b3f6f414bbaad7](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/429f009d2b2c09028647dd4bb7b3f6f414bbaad7).\n\nThe 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.\n\n### For more information\nPlease consult [our security guide](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/master/SECURITY.md) for more information regarding the security model and how to contact us with issues and questions. \n\n### Attribution\nThis vulnerability has been reported by members of the Aivul Team from Qihoo 360.","affected":[{"package":{"name":"tensorflow","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.3.4"}]}],"versions":["0.12.0","0.12.1","1.0.0","1.0.1","1.1.0","1.10.0","1.10.1","1.11.0","1.12.0","1.12.2","1.12.3","1.13.1","1.13.2","1.14.0","1.15.0","1.15.2","1.15.3","1.15.4","1.15.5","1.2.0","1.2.1","1.3.0","1.4.0","1.4.1","1.5.0","1.5.1","1.6.0","1.7.0","1.7.1","1.8.0","1.9.0","2.0.0","2.0.1","2.0.2","2.0.3","2.0.4","2.1.0","2.1.1","2.1.2","2.1.3","2.1.4","2.2.0","2.2.1","2.2.2","2.2.3","2.3.0","2.3.1","2.3.2","2.3.3"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}},{"package":{"name":"tensorflow","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"2.4.0"},{"fixed":"2.4.3"}]}],"versions":["2.4.0","2.4.1","2.4.2"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}},{"package":{"name":"tensorflow","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"2.5.0"},{"fixed":"2.5.1"}]}],"versions":["2.5.0"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}},{"package":{"name":"tensorflow-cpu","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow-cpu"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.3.4"}]}],"versions":["1.15.0","2.1.0","2.1.1","2.1.2","2.1.3","2.1.4","2.2.0","2.2.1","2.2.2","2.2.3","2.3.0","2.3.1","2.3.2","2.3.3"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}},{"package":{"name":"tensorflow-cpu","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow-cpu"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"2.4.0"},{"fixed":"2.4.3"}]}],"versions":["2.4.0","2.4.1","2.4.2"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}},{"package":{"name":"tensorflow-cpu","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow-cpu"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"2.5.0"},{"fixed":"2.5.1"}]}],"versions":["2.5.0"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}},{"package":{"name":"tensorflow-gpu","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow-gpu"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.3.4"}]}],"versions":["0.12.0","0.12.1","1.0.0","1.0.1","1.1.0","1.10.0","1.10.1","1.11.0","1.12.0","1.12.2","1.12.3","1.13.1","1.13.2","1.14.0","1.15.0","1.15.2","1.15.3","1.15.4","1.15.5","1.2.0","1.2.1","1.3.0","1.4.0","1.4.1","1.5.0","1.5.1","1.6.0","1.7.0","1.7.1","1.8.0","1.9.0","2.0.0","2.0.1","2.0.2","2.0.3","2.0.4","2.1.0","2.1.1","2.1.2","2.1.3","2.1.4","2.2.0","2.2.1","2.2.2","2.2.3","2.3.0","2.3.1","2.3.2","2.3.3"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}},{"package":{"name":"tensorflow-gpu","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow-gpu"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"2.4.0"},{"fixed":"2.4.3"}]}],"versions":["2.4.0","2.4.1","2.4.2"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}},{"package":{"name":"tensorflow-gpu","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/tensorflow-gpu"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"2.5.0"},{"fixed":"2.5.1"}]}],"versions":["2.5.0"],"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2021/08/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc.json"}}],"references":[{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-f5cx-5wr3-5qrc"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-37662"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/429f009d2b2c09028647dd4bb7b3f6f414bbaad7"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/9c87c32c710d0b5b53dc6fd3bfde4046e1f7a5ad"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-575.yaml"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-773.yaml"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-284.yaml"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow"}],"database_specific":{"cwe_ids":["CWE-824"],"github_reviewed":true,"github_reviewed_at":"2021-08-24T13:33:26Z","nvd_published_at":"2021-08-12T21:15:00Z","severity":"MODERATE"},"severity":[{"type":"CVSS_V3","score":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H"},{"type":"CVSS_V4","score":"CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"}]}