---
id: CVE-2021-41203
aliases:
  - GHSA-7pxj-m4jf-r6h2
  - BIT-tensorflow-2021-41203
  - PYSEC-2021-396
  - PYSEC-2021-613
  - PYSEC-2021-811
title: Missing validation during checkpoint loading
summary: Missing validation during checkpoint loading
severity: high
cvss: 7.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
vendor: tensorflow
product: tensorflow
ecosystem: pip
affected:
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.1'
  - 'tensorflow >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.2'
  - tensorflow < 2.4.4
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.1'
  - 'tensorflow-cpu >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.2'
  - tensorflow-cpu < 2.4.4
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.1'
  - 'tensorflow-gpu >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.2'
  - tensorflow-gpu < 2.4.4
patched:
  - tensorflow 2.6.1
  - tensorflow 2.5.2
  - tensorflow 2.4.4
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.6.1
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.5.2
  - tensorflow-cpu 2.4.4
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.6.1
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.5.2
  - tensorflow-gpu 2.4.4
published: '2021-11-10'
updated: '2026-07-08'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-7pxj-m4jf-r6h2'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-7pxj-m4jf-r6h2
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-41203'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/368af875869a204b4ac552b9ddda59f6a46a56ec
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/abcced051cb1bd8fb05046ac3b6023a7ebcc4578
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/b619c6f865715ca3b15ef1842b5b95edbaa710ad
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/e8dc63704c88007ee4713076605c90188d66f3d2
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-cpu/PYSEC-2021-613.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow-gpu/PYSEC-2021-811.yaml
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/tensorflow/PYSEC-2021-396.yaml
  - url: 'https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
epss: 0.00189
epssPercentile: 0.08734
ingestedAt: '2026-07-08T18:25:47.068Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact
An attacker can trigger undefined behavior, integer overflows, segfaults and `CHECK`-fail crashes if they can change saved checkpoints from outside of TensorFlow.

This is because the checkpoints loading infrastructure is missing validation for invalid file formats.

### Patches
We have patched the issue in GitHub commits [b619c6f865715ca3b15ef1842b5b95edbaa710ad](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/b619c6f865715ca3b15ef1842b5b95edbaa710ad), [e8dc63704c88007ee4713076605c90188d66f3d2](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/e8dc63704c88007ee4713076605c90188d66f3d2), [368af875869a204b4ac552b9ddda59f6a46a56ec](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/368af875869a204b4ac552b9ddda59f6a46a56ec), and [abcced051cb1bd8fb05046ac3b6023a7ebcc4578](https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/abcced051cb1bd8fb05046ac3b6023a7ebcc4578).

These fixes will be included in TensorFlow 2.7.0. We will also cherrypick these commits on TensorFlow 2.6.1, TensorFlow 2.5.2, and TensorFlow 2.4.4, 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.

## Affected packages

- `tensorflow >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.1`
- `tensorflow >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.2`
- `tensorflow < 2.4.4`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.1`
- `tensorflow-cpu >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.2`
- `tensorflow-cpu < 2.4.4`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.1`
- `tensorflow-gpu >= 2.5.0, < 2.5.2`
- `tensorflow-gpu < 2.4.4`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `tensorflow 2.6.1`
- `tensorflow 2.5.2`
- `tensorflow 2.4.4`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.6.1`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.5.2`
- `tensorflow-cpu 2.4.4`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.6.1`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.5.2`
- `tensorflow-gpu 2.4.4`