CVE-2021-41495
numpy: NULL pointer dereference in numpy.sort in in the PyArray_DescrNew() due to missing return-value validation
Severity
ModerateRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.1
Review impact separately from score.
Published · May 19, 2021
Updated · January 14, 2026
Description
Null Pointer Dereference vulnerability exists in numpy.sort in NumPy < and 1.19 in the PyArray_DescrNew function due to missing return-value validation, which allows attackers to conduct DoS attacks by repetitively creating sort arrays. NOTE: While correct that validation is missing, an error can only occur due to an exhaustion of memory. If the user can exhaust memory, they are already privileged. Further, it should be practically impossible to construct an attack which can target the memory exhaustion to occur at exactly this place
CVSS score applicability
The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.
Mitigation
No mitigation is specified in collected source.
CVSS / CWE
CVSS 3.1 · 7.5CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE-476 · NULL Pointer Dereference