---
id: CVE-2020-15191
aliases:
  - GHSA-q8qj-fc9q-cphr
  - BIT-tensorflow-2020-15191
  - PYSEC-2020-114
  - PYSEC-2020-271
  - PYSEC-2020-306
title: Undefined behavior in Tensorflow
summary: Undefined behavior in Tensorflow
severity: medium
cvss: 5.3
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L'
vendor: tensorflow
product: tensorflow
ecosystem: pip
affected:
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.1'
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1'
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.1'
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1'
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.1'
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1'
patched:
  - tensorflow 2.2.1
  - tensorflow 2.3.1
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.2.1
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.3.1
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.2.1
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.3.1
published: '2020-09-25'
updated: '2026-07-08'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-q8qj-fc9q-cphr'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-q8qj-fc9q-cphr
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15191'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/22e07fb204386768e5bcbea563641ea11f96ceb8
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2020-271.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2020-306.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2020-114.yaml
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow'
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/releases/tag/v2.3.1'
  - url: 'http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-10/msg00065.html'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
epss: 0.009
epssPercentile: 0.57902
ingestedAt: '2026-07-08T18:25:52.132Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact
If a user passes an invalid argument to `dlpack.to_dlpack` the expected validations will cause variables to bind to `nullptr` while setting a `status` variable to the error condition.

However, this `status` argument is not properly checked:
https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/0e68f4d3295eb0281a517c3662f6698992b7b2cf/tensorflow/c/eager/dlpack.cc#L265-L267

Hence, code following these methods will bind references to null pointers:
https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/0e68f4d3295eb0281a517c3662f6698992b7b2cf/tensorflow/c/eager/dlpack.cc#L279-L285

This is undefined behavior and reported as an error if compiling with `-fsanitize=null`.

### Patches
We have patched the issue in 22e07fb204386768e5bcbea563641ea11f96ceb8 and will release a patch release for all affected versions.

We recommend users to upgrade to TensorFlow 2.2.1 or 2.3.1.

### For more information
Please consult [our security guide](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/master/SECURITY.md) for more information regarding the security model and how to contact us with issues and questions.

### Attribution
This vulnerability has been discovered during variant analysis of [GHSA-rjjg-hgv6-h69v](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-rjjg-hgv6-h69v).

## Affected packages

- `tensorflow >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.1`
- `tensorflow >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.1`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.1`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `tensorflow 2.2.1`
- `tensorflow 2.3.1`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.2.1`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.3.1`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.2.1`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.3.1`