python / python/cpython

Data race on the GC debug flag (gc.set_debug/get_debug) in free-threading builds

Aberta
#153,014 0 comentários 0 reações 0 responsáveis Ver no GitHub

Ninguém assumiu esta issue ainda.

extension-modules topic-free-threading type-bug
Linguagem predominante
Python
Estrelas
77.2k
Forks
36k
Métricas de merge de PRs
Métricas de PR pendentes

Descrição

Bug report

In a free-threading build (--disable-gil), the garbage collector debug flag
gcstate->debug is read and written without synchronisation:

  • Write: gc_set_debug_impl() (Modules/gcmodule.c) does a plain
    gcstate->debug = flags. Unlike gc_set_threshold_impl(), which runs its
    free-threading branch under _PyEval_StopTheWorld(), gc.set_debug() takes
    no lock and does not stop the world.
  • Read: gc_get_debug_impl() returns gcstate->debug directly, and the
    collector in Python/gc_free_threading.c reads gcstate->debug /
    interp->gc.debug in several places while walking the graph.

So one thread calling gc.set_debug() concurrently with another calling
gc.get_debug() or triggering a collection is an unsynchronised read/write of
the same int. The flag is only an int, so the effect stays benign at the
Python level, but it is undefined behaviour under C11 and ThreadSanitizer
reports it as a data race.

This is the same class of issue already fixed for sys dlopenflags
(gh-151644) and gc.get_stats() (gh-151646). gc.enable() / gc.disable()
in the same file already access gcstate->enabled atomically; the debug flag
was missed.

ThreadSanitizer output

Built with ./configure --with-thread-sanitizer --disable-gil and stressed
with concurrent gc.set_debug() / gc.get_debug() plus a thread churning
cyclic garbage so the collector runs:

WARNING: ThreadSanitizer: data race
  Write of size 4 at 0x...6c by thread T2:
    #0 gc_set_debug gcmodule.c.h:186
  Previous write of size 4 at 0x...6c by thread T1:
    #0 gc_set_debug gcmodule.c.h:186
  Location is global '_PyRuntime'

How to reproduce

  1. ./configure --with-thread-sanitizer --disable-gil && make
  2. Run a script that starts a few threads calling gc.set_debug(...) /
    gc.get_debug() in a loop, plus a thread that builds reference cycles and
    calls gc.collect().
  3. TSan reports the write/write race on gcstate->debug.

Suggested fix

Access the flag with FT_ATOMIC_STORE_INT_RELAXED / FT_ATOMIC_LOAD_INT_RELAXED
in gc_set_debug_impl() / gc_get_debug_impl() and in the collector reads,
matching how gcstate->enabled and dlopenflags are already handled. Relaxed
ordering is correct for an independent int flag. These wrappers compile to a
plain load/store in the default (GIL) build, so there is no change there.

Linked PRs
  • gh-153015

Guia de contribuição

Abrir o guia de contribuição

Primeiros passos

  1. Leia a issue inteira e depois o guia de contribuição do projeto.
  2. Comente na issue dizendo que vai assumir — evita que duas pessoas façam o mesmo trabalho.
  3. Faça um fork do repositório e trabalhe em uma branch.
  4. Abra um pull request que referencie o número da issue.

Direção de pesquisa

Revise primeiro o PR vinculado gh-153015; em seguida, inspecione gc_set_debug_impl() e gc_get_debug_impl() em Modules/gcmodule.c e as leituras de gcstate-debug em Python/gc_free_threading.c. Recompile com --with-thread-sanitizer --disable-gil e execute o reprodutor concorrente de gc.set_debug(), gc.get_debug() e da coleta; o trabalho estará concluído quando a race reportada não estiver mais presente.

Escrita pelo modelo de indexação a partir do texto da issue.

Avaliação

Stack de tecnologia
c, python
Domínio
backend
Tipo de issue
Bug
Dificuldade
3/5
Tempo estimado
1-2 dias
Status de atividade
Estagnada
Clareza
Claramente especificada
Facilidade para iniciantes
25/100

Receba novas issues na sua caixa de entrada

Um resumo curto de issues do GitHub para quem está começando.