Data race in `faulthandler.enable()` and `faulthandler.disable()` with free-threading
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Description
Bug report
Bug description:
faulthandler.enable() and faulthandler.disable() read and write the global fatal_error state with no synchronization. enable() checks the enabled guard and then sets it,
while disable() reads the same guard and tears the state back down, including Py_CLEAR(fatal_error.file),
so two threads calling enable() and disable() concurrently race on the enabled flag, on the installed signal handlers, and on the fatal_error.file reference.
Reproducer:
import faulthandler, os
from threading import Thread, Event
def owner():
f = open(os.devnull, 'w')
for _ in range(200000):
faulthandler.enable(file=f, all_threads=False)
f.write('x')
f.flush()
f.close()
def toggler():
for _ in range(200000):
faulthandler.disable()
threads = [Thread(target=owner) for _ in range(4)]
threads += [Thread(target=toggler) for _ in range(4)]
for t in threads: t.start()
for t in threads: t.join()
With TSAN build, the owner thread's own f.write()/enable() raises ValueError: I/O operation on uninitialized object because a concurrent disable() dropped the last reference to f and finalized it.
TSAN Report:
WARNING: ThreadSanitizer: data race (pid=1671402)
Write of size 4 at 0x555555e19478 by thread T5:
#0 faulthandler_disable /cpython/./Modules/faulthandler.c:644:29 (python3.16t+0x57830e)
#1 faulthandler_disable_py_impl /cpython/./Modules/faulthandler.c:674:5
#2 faulthandler_disable_py /cpython/./Modules/clinic/faulthandler.c.h:299:12
#3 cfunction_vectorcall_NOARGS /cpython/Objects/methodobject.c:508:24
#4 _PyObject_VectorcallTstate /cpython/./Include/internal/pycore_call.h:144:11
#5 PyObject_Vectorcall /cpython/Objects/call.c:327:12
...
Previous read of size 4 at 0x555555e19478 by thread T4:
#0 faulthandler_enable /cpython/./Modules/faulthandler.c:538:21
#1 faulthandler_py_enable_impl /cpython/./Modules/faulthandler.c:633:9
#2 faulthandler_py_enable /cpython/./Modules/clinic/faulthandler.c.h:278:20
#3 cfunction_vectorcall_FASTCALL_KEYWORDS /cpython/Objects/methodobject.c:465:24
#4 _PyObject_VectorcallTstate /cpython/./Include/internal/pycore_call.h:144:11
#5 PyObject_Vectorcall /cpython/Objects/call.c:327:12
...
Location is global '_PyRuntime' of size 405824 at 0x555555e16c80
SUMMARY: ThreadSanitizer: data race /cpython/./Modules/faulthandler.c:644:29 in faulthandler_disable
==================
CPython versions tested on:
CPython main branch
Operating systems tested on:
Linux
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start in Modules/faulthandler.c at the enable() lines 536-541 and disable() lines 641-658, then run the provided reproducer with a ThreadSanitizer build. Trace the shared enabled state, signal handlers, and fatal_error.file ownership; done means concurrent enable()/disable() calls no longer produce the reported race or invalidate the caller's file.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- operating-systems
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 46/100