CVE-2022-41889 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A vulnerability has been discovered in TensorFlow that could allow an attacker to trigger a segfault via invalid attributes in

pywrap_tfe_src.cc

.

Understanding CVE-2022-41889

This CVE affects TensorFlow, an open source platform for machine learning. The issue arises when assigning a list of quantized tensors to an attribute, causing the code to fail and return a

nullptr

.

What is CVE-2022-41889?

The vulnerability in

pywrap_tfe_src.cc

in TensorFlow can lead to a null pointer dereference, impacting the availability of the system.

The Impact of CVE-2022-41889

The vulnerability allows an attacker to exploit the issue by passing quantized tensors as input, affecting versions 2.10.0 to 2.10.1, 2.9.0 to 2.9.3, and versions below 2.8.4.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-41889

The vulnerability in TensorFlow results in a NULL pointer dereference, affecting specific versions and leading to a complete system impact.

Vulnerability Description

When assigning quantized tensors to an attribute, the code fails to parse the tensor and returns a

nullptr

, which is not handled correctly, resulting in a NULL pointer dereference.

Affected Systems and Versions

Versions of TensorFlow from 2.8.4 and below, 2.9.0 to 2.9.3, and 2.10.0 to 2.10.1 are vulnerable to this issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by passing quantized tensors as input, triggering a null pointer dereference in the code.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the impact of CVE-2022-41889, immediate steps need to be taken alongside long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update their TensorFlow installations to version 2.11 to apply the necessary patch. Additionally, cherrypicking the commit on versions 2.10.1, 2.9.3, and 2.8.4 can help mitigate the risk.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices, regularly updating dependencies, and monitoring security advisories can help prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely application of security patches and updates to address known vulnerabilities and protect systems from exploitation.