python / python/cpython

Add overflow checks before calling memory allocators

Open
#127,681 3 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

Nobody has claimed this yet.

extension-modules interpreter-core stale type-bug
Dominant language
Python
Stars
77.2k
Forks
35.9k
PR merge metrics
PR metrics pending

Description

Bug report

Bug description:

From https://github.com/capi-workgroup/decisions/issues/50#issuecomment-2522706899 and https://github.com/capi-workgroup/decisions/issues/50#issuecomment-2514640058.

Some calls to the PyMem_* API uses an arithmetic operation on the size, which could make the requested length overflow. The checks in the corresponding functions would not be relevant since the inputs already overflowed.

See https://github.com/python/cpython/pull/127686#issuecomment-2523699454 for the future of this issue.

CPython versions tested on:

CPython main branch

Operating systems tested on:

No response

Linked PRs
  • gh-153489

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by reviewing the PyMem_* allocator calls on the CPython main branch and the linked discussion in gh-153489. Trace each size arithmetic operation before allocation, then verify that overflow cases are handled before the allocator is called.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c
Domain
backend
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.