Input validation error in TensorFlow - CVE-2020-15191
Published: September 25, 2020 / Updated: June 28, 2025
Vulnerability identifier: #VU47278
CSH Severity: Medium
CVSSv4.0: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Green
CVE-ID: CVE-2020-15191
CWE-ID: CWE-20
Exploitation vector: Remote access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vulnerable software:
TensorFlow
TensorFlow
Software vendor:
TensorFlow
TensorFlow
Description
The vulnerability allows a remote non-authenticated attacker to perform service disruption.
In Tensorflow before versions 2.2.1 and 2.3.1, if a user passes an invalid argument to `dlpack.to_dlpack` the expected validations will cause variables to bind to `nullptr` while setting a `status` variable to the error condition. However, this `status` argument is not properly checked. Hence, code following these methods will bind references to null pointers. This is undefined behavior and reported as an error if compiling with `-fsanitize=null`. The issue is patched in commit 22e07fb204386768e5bcbea563641ea11f96ceb8 and is released in TensorFlow versions 2.2.1, or 2.3.1.
Remediation
Install update from vendor's website.