---
id: CVE-2021-29535
aliases:
  - GHSA-m3f9-w3p3-p669
  - BIT-tensorflow-2021-29535
  - PYSEC-2021-172
  - PYSEC-2021-463
  - PYSEC-2021-661
title: Heap buffer overflow in `QuantizedMul`
summary: Heap buffer overflow in `QuantizedMul`
severity: low
cvss: 2.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L'
vendor: tensorflow
product: tensorflow
ecosystem: pip
affected:
  - tensorflow < 2.1.4
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3'
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3'
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2'
  - tensorflow-cpu < 2.1.4
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3'
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3'
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2'
  - tensorflow-gpu < 2.1.4
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3'
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3'
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2'
patched:
  - tensorflow 2.1.4
  - tensorflow 2.2.3
  - tensorflow 2.3.3
  - tensorflow 2.4.2
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.1.4
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.2.3
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.3.3
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.4.2
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.1.4
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.2.3
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.3.3
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.4.2
published: '2021-05-21'
updated: '2026-09-10'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-10T03:49:05.583498927Z'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-m3f9-w3p3-p669'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-m3f9-w3p3-p669
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-29535'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/efea03b38fb8d3b81762237dc85e579cc5fc6e87
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-463.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-661.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-172.yaml
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
epss: 0.00211
epssPercentile: 0.1007
ingestedAt: '2026-09-12T03:13:01.708Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact
An attacker can cause a heap buffer overflow in `QuantizedMul` by passing in invalid thresholds for the quantization:

```python
import tensorflow as tf

x = tf.constant([256, 328], shape=[1, 2], dtype=tf.quint8)
y = tf.constant([256, 328], shape=[1, 2], dtype=tf.quint8)
min_x = tf.constant([], dtype=tf.float32)
max_x = tf.constant([], dtype=tf.float32)
min_y = tf.constant([], dtype=tf.float32)
max_y = tf.constant([], dtype=tf.float32)

tf.raw_ops.QuantizedMul(x=x, y=y, min_x=min_x, max_x=max_x, min_y=min_y, max_y=max_y)
```

This is because the [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/87cf4d3ea9949051e50ca3f071fc909538a51cd0/tensorflow/core/kernels/quantized_mul_op.cc#L287-L290) assumes that the 4 arguments are always valid scalars and tries to access the numeric value directly:

```cc 
const float min_x = context->input(2).flat<float>()(0);
const float max_x = context->input(3).flat<float>()(0);
const float min_y = context->input(4).flat<float>()(0);
const float max_y = context->input(5).flat<float>()(0);
```

However, if any of these tensors is empty, then `.flat<T>()` is an empty buffer and accessing the element at position 0 results in overflow.

### Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commit [efea03b38fb8d3b81762237dc85e579cc5fc6e87](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/efea03b38fb8d3b81762237dc85e579cc5fc6e87).

The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.5.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.4.2, TensorFlow 2.3.3, TensorFlow 2.2.3 and TensorFlow 2.1.4, as these are also affected and still in supported range.

### 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 reported by Ying Wang and Yakun Zhang of Baidu X-Team.

## Affected packages

- `tensorflow < 2.1.4`
- `tensorflow >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3`
- `tensorflow >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3`
- `tensorflow >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2`
- `tensorflow-cpu < 2.1.4`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2`
- `tensorflow-gpu < 2.1.4`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.3`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.3.0, < 2.3.3`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.2`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `tensorflow 2.1.4`
- `tensorflow 2.2.3`
- `tensorflow 2.3.3`
- `tensorflow 2.4.2`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.1.4`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.2.3`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.3.3`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.4.2`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.1.4`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.2.3`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.3.3`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.4.2`