Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a low-severity TensorFlow crash issue. An attacker who can supply empty tensors to a specific 3D max-pooling gradient operation may trigger a null pointer dereference, causing limited availability impact. The sources do not show data theft, integrity impact, or active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as routine patching unless TensorFlow workloads accept untrusted model or tensor inputs. Business impact is mainly service instability, not data compromise, based on the provided sources.
Technical view
`tf.raw_ops.MaxPool3DGradGrad` failed to validate that its three tensor inputs were non-empty before element access. Empty attacker-supplied tensors could dereference null pointers. TensorFlow lists affected versions before fixed releases across 2.1.x through 2.4.x, with the fix included in 2.5.0 and cherry-picked to supported branches.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in applications using affected TensorFlow versions where untrusted users can influence tensors, model execution, or raw operation inputs. Controlled internal ML pipelines with trusted inputs have lower practical risk.
Exploitation context
The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no evidence of active exploitation. CVSS describes local attack vector, high attack complexity, low privileges required, no confidentiality or integrity impact, and low availability impact.
Researcher notes
This is CWE-476 null pointer dereference from missing empty-tensor validation in `pooling_ops_3d.cc`. Review reachable call paths rather than assuming broad exposure across all TensorFlow use. Evidence is limited to advisory and fix references.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade TensorFlow to 2.5.0 or later where feasible.
- Use fixed branch releases 2.4.2, 2.3.3, 2.2.3, or 2.1.4 as applicable.
- Prioritize systems processing untrusted ML inputs or user-supplied models.
- Check TensorFlow advisory guidance before relying on workarounds.
Validation and detection
- Inventory TensorFlow versions in production, development, and ML build environments.
- Identify workloads that invoke `tf.raw_ops.MaxPool3DGradGrad` or related 3D pooling gradients.
- Confirm affected version ranges are upgraded to fixed releases.
- Review trust boundaries for tensor, model, and training data inputs.
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-476: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-29574 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-828x-qc2p-wprqCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/a3d9f9be9ac2296615644061b40cefcee341dcc4CVE 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.
NULL Pointer Dereference
NULL Pointer Dereference represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.