CVE-2022-29211

Segfault if tf.histogramfixedwidth is called with NaN values in TensorFlow

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Attribution

This vulnerability has been reported externally via a GitHub issue.

The implementation of tf.histogram_fixed_width is vulnerable to a crash when the values array contain NaN elements:

import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np

tf.histogram_fixed_width(values=np.nan, value_range=[1,2])

The implementation assumes that all floating point operations are defined and then converts a floating point result to an integer index:

index_to_bin.device(d) =
    ((values.cwiseMax(value_range(0)) - values.constant(value_range(0)))
         .template cast<double>() /
     step)
        .cwiseMin(nbins_minus_1)
        .template cast<int32>();

If values contains NaN then the result of the division is still NaN and the cast to int32 would result in a crash.

This only occurs on the CPU implementation.

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-2022-29211 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, 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 (2.6.4, 2.7.2, 2.8.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

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We have patched the issue in GitHub commit e57fd691c7b0fd00ea3bfe43444f30c1969748b5.

The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.9.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.8.1, TensorFlow 2.7.2, and TensorFlow 2.6.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.

1. What is CVE-2022-29211? CVE-2022-29211 is a medium-severity improper input validation vulnerability in tensorflow (pip), affecting versions < 2.6.4. It is fixed in 2.6.4, 2.7.2, 2.8.1. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
2. How severe is CVE-2022-29211? CVE-2022-29211 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). 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-2022-29211?
   • tensorflow (pip) (versions < 2.6.4)
   • tensorflow-cpu (pip) (versions < 2.6.4)
   • tensorflow-gpu (pip) (versions < 2.6.4)
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2022-29211? Yes. CVE-2022-29211 is fixed in 2.6.4, 2.7.2, 2.8.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2022-29211 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-29211 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-2022-29211 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-2022-29211?
   • Upgrade tensorflow to 2.6.4 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow to 2.7.2 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow to 2.8.1 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-cpu to 2.6.4 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-cpu to 2.7.2 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-cpu to 2.8.1 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-gpu to 2.6.4 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-gpu to 2.7.2 or later
   • Upgrade tensorflow-gpu to 2.8.1 or later

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