GHSA-3ff2-r28g-w7h9 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.5) CWE-120 vulnerability in tensorflow. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-3ff2-r28g-w7h9 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Heap buffer overflow in `Transpose`
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
The shape inference function for Transpose is vulnerable to a heap buffer overflow:
import tensorflow as tf
@tf.function
def test():
y = tf.raw_ops.Transpose(x=[1,2,3,4],perm=[-10])
return y
test()
This occurs whenever perm contains negative elements. The shape inference function does not validate that the indices in perm are all valid:
for (int32_t i = 0; i < rank; ++i) {
int64_t in_idx = data[i];
if (in_idx >= rank) {
return errors::InvalidArgument("perm dim ", in_idx,
" is out of range of input rank ", rank);
}
dims[i] = c->Dim(input, in_idx);
}
where Dim(tensor, index) accepts either a positive index less than the rank of the tensor or the special value -1 for unknown dimensions.
Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commit c79ba87153ee343401dbe9d1954d7f79e521eb14.
The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.7.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.6.1, TensorFlow 2.5.2, and TensorFlow 2.4.4, 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.
Attribution
This vulnerability has been reported by members of the Aivul Team from Qihoo 360.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow | ≥ 2.6.0&&< 2.6.1 | 2.6.1 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow | ≥ 2.5.0&&< 2.5.2 | 2.5.2 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow | all versions | 2.4.4 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | ≥ 2.6.0&&< 2.6.1 | 2.6.1 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | ≥ 2.5.0&&< 2.5.2 | 2.5.2 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | all versions | 2.4.4 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for tensorflow. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update tensorflow to 2.6.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-3ff2-r28g-w7h9 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.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-3ff2-r28g-w7h9 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-3ff2-r28g-w7h9. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-3ff2-r28g-w7h9 in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-3ff2-r28g-w7h9 across PyPI dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.