---
id: CVE-2020-15198
aliases:
  - GHSA-jc87-6vpp-7ff3
  - BIT-tensorflow-2020-15198
  - PYSEC-2020-121
  - PYSEC-2020-278
  - PYSEC-2020-313
title: Heap buffer overflow in Tensorflow
summary: Heap buffer overflow in Tensorflow
severity: medium
cvss: 5.4
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N'
vendor: tensorflow
product: tensorflow
ecosystem: pip
affected:
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1'
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1'
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.1'
patched:
  - tensorflow 2.3.1
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.3.1
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.3.1
published: '2020-09-25'
updated: '2026-09-10'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-10T03:49:25.846176475Z'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-jc87-6vpp-7ff3'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-jc87-6vpp-7ff3
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15198'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/3cbb917b4714766030b28eba9fb41bb97ce9ee02
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2020-278.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2020-313.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2020-121.yaml
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow'
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/releases/tag/v2.3.1'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
epss: 0.00542
epssPercentile: 0.4316
ingestedAt: '2026-09-12T03:13:01.704Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact
The `SparseCountSparseOutput` implementation does not validate that the input arguments form a valid sparse tensor. In particular, there is no validation that the `indices` tensor has the same shape as the `values` one. The values in these tensors are always accessed in parallel:
https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/0e68f4d3295eb0281a517c3662f6698992b7b2cf/tensorflow/core/kernels/count_ops.cc#L193-L195

Thus, a shape mismatch can result in accesses outside the bounds of heap allocated buffers.

### Patches
We have patched the issue in 3cbb917b4714766030b28eba9fb41bb97ce9ee02 and will release a patch release.

We recommend users to upgrade to TensorFlow 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 is a variant of [GHSA-p5f8-gfw5-33w4](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-p5f8-gfw5-33w4)

## Affected packages

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

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

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