---
id: CVE-2021-37636
aliases:
  - GHSA-hp4c-x6r7-6555
  - BIT-tensorflow-2021-37636
  - PYSEC-2021-258
  - PYSEC-2021-549
  - PYSEC-2021-747
title: Floating point exception in `SparseDenseCwiseDiv`
summary: Floating point exception in `SparseDenseCwiseDiv`
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
vendor: tensorflow
product: tensorflow
ecosystem: pip
affected:
  - tensorflow < 2.3.4
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3'
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1'
  - tensorflow-cpu < 2.3.4
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3'
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1'
  - tensorflow-gpu < 2.3.4
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3'
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1'
patched:
  - tensorflow 2.3.4
  - tensorflow 2.4.3
  - tensorflow 2.5.1
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.3.4
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.4.3
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.5.1
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.3.4
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.4.3
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.5.1
published: '2021-08-25'
updated: '2026-07-08'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-hp4c-x6r7-6555'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-hp4c-x6r7-6555
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-37636'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/d9204be9f49520cdaaeb2541d1dc5187b23f31d9
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-549.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-747.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-258.yaml
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
epss: 0.00152
epssPercentile: 0.03639
ingestedAt: '2026-07-08T18:25:50.290Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact
The implementation of `tf.raw_ops.SparseDenseCwiseDiv` is vulnerable to a division by 0 error:

```python
import tensorflow as tf
import numpy as np

tf.raw_ops.SparseDenseCwiseDiv( 
  sp_indices=np.array([[4]]),
  sp_values=np.array([-400]),
  sp_shape=np.array([647.]),
  dense=np.array([0]))
```

The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/a1bc56203f21a5a4995311825ffaba7a670d7747/tensorflow/core/kernels/sparse_dense_binary_op_shared.cc#L56) uses a common class for all binary operations but fails to treat the division by 0 case separately.

### Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commit [d9204be9f49520cdaaeb2541d1dc5187b23f31d9](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/d9204be9f49520cdaaeb2541d1dc5187b23f31d9).

The fix will be included in TensorFlow 2.6.0. We will also cherrypick this commit on TensorFlow 2.5.1, TensorFlow 2.4.3, and TensorFlow 2.3.4, 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 members of the Aivul Team from Qihoo 360.

## Affected packages

- `tensorflow < 2.3.4`
- `tensorflow >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3`
- `tensorflow >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1`
- `tensorflow-cpu < 2.3.4`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1`
- `tensorflow-gpu < 2.3.4`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.4.0, < 2.4.3`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.1`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `tensorflow 2.3.4`
- `tensorflow 2.4.3`
- `tensorflow 2.5.1`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.3.4`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.4.3`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.5.1`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.3.4`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.4.3`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.5.1`