GHSA-9px9-73fg-3fqp
MEDIUMNull pointer dereference in Grappler's `IsConstant`
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
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 | 2.5.3 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow | ≥ 2.6.0&&< 2.6.3 | 2.6.3 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow | ≥ 2.7.0&&< 2.7.1 | 2.7.1 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | all versions | 2.5.3 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | ≥ 2.6.0&&< 2.6.3 | 2.6.3 |
| 🐍PyPI | tensorflow-cpu | ≥ 2.7.0&&< 2.7.1 | 2.7.1 |
Research 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. 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 2.5.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-9px9-73fg-3fqp 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-9px9-73fg-3fqp 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-9px9-73fg-3fqp. 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-9px9-73fg-3fqp in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-9px9-73fg-3fqp across PyPI dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.