CVE-2020-5215Segmentation faultin TensorFlow when converting a Python string to tf.float16
- 5.0MediumCVSS base score
- 0.59%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 51% of all CVEs
- NoKnown exploitednot in CISA's KEV catalog
- NonePublic exploitsnone known yet
Description
In TensorFlow before 1.15.2 and 2.0.1, converting a string (from Python) to a tf.float16 value results in a segmentation fault in eager mode as the format checks for this use case are only in the graph mode. This issue can lead to denial of service in inference/training where a malicious attacker can send a data point which contains a string instead of a tf.float16 value. Similar effects can be obtained by manipulating saved models and checkpoints whereby replacing a scalar tf.float16 value with a scalar string will trigger this issue due to automatic conversions. This can be easily reproduced by tf.constant("hello", tf.float16), if eager execution is enabled. This issue is patched in TensorFlow 1.15.1 and 2.0.1 with this vulnerability patched. TensorFlow 2.1.0 was released after we fixed the issue, thus it is not affected. Users are encouraged to switch to TensorFlow 1.15.1, 2.0.1 or 2.1.0.
Timeline
ID reserved
By GitHub_M
- 26 days later
· 26 days later
Published
- 5 years later
· 5 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub_MCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Medium5.0 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | High7.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.59% · top 51% of all CVEs (14 Nov 2026)
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 5.0.
Affected products
- affected < 1.15.2
- affected = 2.0.0
Affected packages
From reviewed advisories of the GitHub Advisory Database.
- PyPItensorflowGHSA-977j-xj7q-2jr9 (opens in a new tab)
- PyPItensorflow-cpuGHSA-977j-xj7q-2jr9 (opens in a new tab)
- PyPItensorflow-gpuGHSA-977j-xj7q-2jr9 (opens in a new tab)
References
References4
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/security/advisories/GHSA-977j-xj7q-2jr9 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/commit/5ac1b9e24ff6afc465756edf845d2e9660bd34bf (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/releases/tag/v1.15.2 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/releases/tag/v2.0.1 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2020-0219 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-977j-xj7q-2jr9 (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2020-5215)Record last updated .