CVE-2022-23570

Null-dereference in Tensorflow

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When decoding a tensor from protobuf, TensorFlow might do a null-dereference if attributes of some mutable arguments to some operations are missing from the proto. This is guarded by a DCHECK:

  const auto* attr = attrs.Find(arg->s()); 
  DCHECK(attr != nullptr);
  if (attr->value_case() == AttrValue::kList) {
    // ...
  }

However, DCHECK is a no-op in production builds and an assertion failure in debug builds. In the first case execution proceeds to the dereferencing of the null pointer, whereas in the second case it results in a crash due to the assertion failure.

The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.

CVE-2022-23570 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (2.5.3, 2.6.3, 2.7.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

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We have patched the issue in GitHub commit 8a513cec4bec15961fbfdedcaa5376522980455c.

The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.8.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.7.1, and TensorFlow 2.6.3, as these are also affected and still in supported range.

1. What is CVE-2022-23570? CVE-2022-23570 is a high-severity null pointer dereference vulnerability in tensorflow (pip), affecting versions < 2.5.3. It is fixed in 2.5.3, 2.6.3, 2.7.1. The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash.
2. How severe is CVE-2022-23570? CVE-2022-23570 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.
3. Which packages are affected by CVE-2022-23570?
   • tensorflow (pip) (versions < 2.5.3)
   • tensorflow-cpu (pip) (versions < 2.5.3)
   • tensorflow-gpu (pip) (versions < 2.5.3)
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2022-23570? Yes. CVE-2022-23570 is fixed in 2.5.3, 2.6.3, 2.7.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2022-23570 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-23570 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2022-23570 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2022-23570?
   • Upgrade tensorflow to 2.5.3 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow to 2.6.3 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow to 2.7.1 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-cpu to 2.5.3 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-cpu to 2.6.3 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-cpu to 2.7.1 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-gpu to 2.5.3 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-gpu to 2.6.3 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-gpu to 2.7.1 or later

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