Summary
Segmentation fault in tensorflow-lite
Workarounds
A potential workaround would be to add a custom Verifier to the model loading code to ensure that no operator reuses tensors as both inputs and outputs. Care should be taken to check all types of inputs (i.e., constant or variable tensors as well as optional tensors).
For more information
Please consult our security guide for more information regarding the security model and how to contact us with issues and questions.
Attribution
This vulnerability has been discovered from a variant analysis of GHSA-cvpc-8phh-8f45.
Impact
If a TFLite saved model uses the same tensor as both input and output of an operator, then, depending on the operator, we can observe a segmentation fault or just memory corruption.
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2020-15210 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.15.4, 2.0.3, 2.1.2, 2.2.1, 2.3.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
We have patched the issue in d58c96946b and will release patch releases for all versions between 1.15 and 2.3.
We recommend users to upgrade to TensorFlow 1.15.4, 2.0.3, 2.1.2, 2.2.1, or 2.3.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2020-15210? CVE-2020-15210 is a high-severity improper input validation vulnerability in tensorflow (pip), affecting versions < 1.15.4. It is fixed in 1.15.4, 2.0.3, 2.1.2, 2.2.1, 2.3.1. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2020-15210? CVE-2020-15210 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which packages are affected by CVE-2020-15210?
tensorflow(pip) (versions < 1.15.4)tensorflow-cpu(pip) (versions < 1.15.4)tensorflow-gpu(pip) (versions < 1.15.4)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2020-15210? Yes. CVE-2020-15210 is fixed in 1.15.4, 2.0.3, 2.1.2, 2.2.1, 2.3.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2020-15210 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2020-15210 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2020-15210 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2020-15210?
- Upgrade
tensorflowto 1.15.4 or later - Upgrade
tensorflowto 2.0.3 or later - Upgrade
tensorflowto 2.1.2 or later - Upgrade
tensorflowto 2.2.1 or later - Upgrade
tensorflowto 2.3.1 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-cputo 1.15.4 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-cputo 2.0.3 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-cputo 2.1.2 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-cputo 2.2.1 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-gputo 1.15.4 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-gputo 2.0.3 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-gputo 2.1.2 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-gputo 2.2.1 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-cputo 2.3.1 or later - Upgrade
tensorflow-gputo 2.3.1 or later
- Upgrade