---
id: CVE-2021-37644
aliases:
  - GHSA-27j5-4p9v-pp67
  - BIT-tensorflow-2021-37644
  - PYSEC-2021-266
  - PYSEC-2021-557
  - PYSEC-2021-755
title: '`std::abort` raised from `TensorListReserve`'
summary: '`std::abort` raised from `TensorListReserve`'
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-27j5-4p9v-pp67'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-27j5-4p9v-pp67
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-37644'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/8a6e874437670045e6c7dc6154c7412b4a2135e2
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-557.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-755.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-266.yaml
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
epss: 0.00152
epssPercentile: 0.03639
ingestedAt: '2026-07-08T18:25:44.168Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact
Providing a negative element to `num_elements` list argument of  `tf.raw_ops.TensorListReserve` causes the runtime to abort the process due to reallocating a `std::vector` to have a negative number of elements:

```python
import tensorflow as tf

tf.raw_ops.TensorListReserve(
  element_shape = tf.constant([1]),
  num_elements=tf.constant([-1]),
  element_dtype = tf.int32)
```

The [implementation](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/8d72537c6abf5a44103b57b9c2e22c14f5f49698/tensorflow/core/kernels/list_kernels.cc#L312) calls `std::vector.resize()` with the new size controlled by input given by the user, without checking that this input is valid.

### Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commit [8a6e874437670045e6c7dc6154c7412b4a2135e2](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/8a6e874437670045e6c7dc6154c7412b4a2135e2).

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`