MediumVulnerability

CVE-2021-37690: TensorFlow segfault from unowned shape and type output in shape functions

Source: NVD(opens in a new tab)
Identifier: CVE-2021-37690
Published: August 13, 2021
Record updated: October 9, 2026

Affected: tensorflow < 2.3.4, fixed in 2.3.4, released August 10, 2021, 3 days before disclosure
tensorflow >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3, fixed in 2.4.3, released August 10, 2021, 3 days before disclosure
tensorflow = 2.5.0, fixed in 2.5.1, released August 10, 2021, 3 days before disclosure
and 6 more
Known exploitation: Not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog at the last check.
EPSS: 0.2%

Summary

TensorFlow's shape inference code leaves shape and type information from `ShapeAndType` structs, produced by functions such as `MutableHashTableShape`, owned by an inference context that is cleaned up almost immediately. If upstream code accesses that shape information, it can trigger a segfault. `ShapeRefiner` already clones normal output shapes to avoid this, but the same handling was missing for shapes and types.

Mitigation

Patched in GitHub commit ee119d4a498979525046fba1c3dd3f13a039fbb1. The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0, and the commit will be cherry-picked to TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3 and TensorFlow 2.3.4.

Details

Scores and exploitation

CVSS score: 6.6(medium)
Patch available: Yes
EPSS: 0.2%Estimated probability that this CVE is exploited in the next 30 days, from the FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System. Read on November 4, 2026.

Weaknesses and techniques

Weakness (CWE): CWE-416
Attack pattern (CAPEC): CAPEC-233

Affected

Packages: tensorflow@< 2.3.4 (fixed: 2.3.4)
tensorflow@>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3 (fixed: 2.4.3)
tensorflow@= 2.5.0 (fixed: 2.5.1)
tensorflow-cpu@< 2.3.4 (fixed: 2.3.4)
tensorflow-cpu@>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3 (fixed: 2.4.3)
tensorflow-cpu@= 2.5.0 (fixed: 2.5.1)
tensorflow-gpu@< 2.3.4 (fixed: 2.3.4)
tensorflow-gpu@>= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3 (fixed: 2.4.3)
tensorflow-gpu@= 2.5.0 (fixed: 2.5.1)
Vendors: Google

Classification

Attack type: Denial of service
Attack sophistication: Moderate
AI component targeted: Framework
Impact: Availability
Labels: security

How this record was produced

Summaries, mitigations and labels on this page are generated automatically from the source. The linked source is authoritative. The source gives this advisory a description and no title, so the title above is a headline generated from the source text.

Original source: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-37690

First tracked: February 15, 2026 at 08:40 PM ET, from NVD/CVE Database

Classifier: claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v4

Classifier confidence: 90% (self-assessed)

Affected packages in the Exposure Registry

Matched by package name and ecosystem. Each entry shows whether the package delegates to a language model and how many tracked packages depend on it.

tensorflowPyPINo LLM dependency detected · 26 tracked dependents
tensorflow-gpuPyPINo LLM dependency detected · 2 tracked dependents

Summary

Mitigation

Affected packages in the Exposure Registry

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