Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-29525 is a low-severity TensorFlow availability bug. A permitted local user can cause a division-by-zero crash path in Conv2DBackpropInput when caller-controlled values reach that operation. It does not expose data or allow code execution based on the supplied sources.
Executive priority
Treat this as routine patching unless the organization runs multi-tenant or user-submitted ML workloads. It is a denial-of-service concern with no cited confidentiality, integrity, code execution, or active exploitation evidence.
Technical view
TensorFlow’s tf.raw_ops.Conv2DBackpropInput could divide by a caller-controlled quantity in conv_grad_input_ops.h, causing a CWE-369 division-by-zero condition. The CVSS vector is local, high complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and low availability impact only.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in systems running affected TensorFlow releases: before 2.1.4, 2.2.x before 2.2.3, 2.3.x before 2.3.3, or 2.4.x before 2.4.2. Risk is higher where users can submit models, tensors, or ML jobs using raw TensorFlow operations.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not indicate active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. Exploitation requires local access, low privileges, high complexity, and a path to invoke the affected operation with controlled values. Expected impact is process disruption, not compromise.
Researcher notes
Focus validation on version exposure and whether untrusted callers can reach tf.raw_ops.Conv2DBackpropInput. The public record identifies the vulnerable division in TensorFlow kernel code and a fixing commit. Avoid assuming broader TensorFlow operations, remote exploitability, or data exposure without additional evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade TensorFlow to 2.5.0 or a patched supported branch release.
- Use TensorFlow 2.4.2, 2.3.3, 2.2.3, or 2.1.4 where branch pinning is required.
- Inventory lockfiles, containers, notebooks, and ML worker images for affected TensorFlow versions.
- Restrict untrusted users from submitting arbitrary TensorFlow jobs until patched.
- Check TensorFlow advisory guidance for unsupported or vendor-embedded distributions.
Validation and detection
- Confirm deployed TensorFlow versions are not in the affected ranges.
- Review dependency manifests and runtime images for transitive TensorFlow installations.
- Identify services exposing user-controlled model execution or tensor operation parameters.
- Check application logs for unexplained TensorFlow worker crashes around convolution gradient input operations.
- Verify patched versions are present after rebuilds and redeployments.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
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ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-369: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-29525 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Low
- CVSS
- 2.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L11.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
2.5LowVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-xm2v-8rrw-w9pmCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/2be2cdf3a123e231b16f766aa0e27d56b4606535CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
CWE mapping pending import
This CVE carries a CWE mapping that will resolve to a full Glexia CWE intelligence page after the official CWE import is complete.