CVE-2022-23589 is a medium-severity (CVSS 6.5) NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability in tensorflow. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for tensorflow — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Null pointer dereference in Grappler's `IsConstant` in Tensorflow
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2022-23589.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2022-23589 by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 385,386 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
tensorflow🐍tensorflow🐍tensorflow🐍tensorflow-cpu🐍tensorflow-cpu🐍tensorflow-cpu🐍tensorflow-gpu🐍tensorflow-gpu+1 moreReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
Under certain scenarios, Grappler component of TensorFlow can trigger a null pointer dereference. There are 2 places where this can occur, for the same malicious alteration of a SavedModel file (fixing the first one would trigger the same dereference in the second place):
First, during constant folding, the GraphDef might not have the required nodes for the binary operation:
NodeDef* mul_left_child = node_map_->GetNode(node->input(0));
NodeDef* mul_right_child = node_map_->GetNode(node->input(1));
// One child must be constant, and the second must be Conv op.
const bool left_child_is_constant = IsReallyConstant(*mul_left_child);
const bool right_child_is_constant = IsReallyConstant(*mul_right_child);
If a node is missing, the correposning mul_*child would be null, and the dereference in the subsequent line would be incorrect.
We have a similar issue during IsIdentityConsumingSwitch:
NodeDef* input_node = graph.GetNode(tensor_id.node());
return IsSwitch(*input_node);
Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commits 0a365c029e437be0349c31f8d4c9926b69fa3fa1 and 045deec1cbdebb27d817008ad5df94d96a08b1bf.
The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.8.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.7.1, TensorFlow 2.6.3, and TensorFlow 2.5.3, as these are also affected and still in supported range.
For more information
Please consult our security guide for more information regarding the security model and how to contact us with issues and questions.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow | all versions | 2.5.3pip install --upgrade 'tensorflow==2.5.3' |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow | ≥ 2.6.0&&< 2.6.3 | 2.6.3pip install --upgrade 'tensorflow==2.6.3' |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow | ≥ 2.7.0&&< 2.7.1 | 2.7.1pip install --upgrade 'tensorflow==2.7.1' |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | all versions | 2.5.3pip install --upgrade 'tensorflow-cpu==2.5.3' |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | ≥ 2.6.0&&< 2.6.3 | 2.6.3pip install --upgrade 'tensorflow-cpu==2.6.3' |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | ≥ 2.7.0&&< 2.7.1 | 2.7.1pip install --upgrade 'tensorflow-cpu==2.7.1' |
Affected Products
tensorflowgoogleResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for tensorflow, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update tensorflow to 2.5.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2022-23589 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2022-23589 in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.