Data race: ctypes `PyCData_NewGetBuffer` reads `b_ptr` without the critical section `_ctypes_resize` holds
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Description
Bug report
Bug description:
#131336 / #128182 made ctypes.resize and addressof/byref thread-safe by taking a critical section in _ctypes_resize, which reallocates obj->b_ptr:
But the buffer-protocol getbuffer, PyCData_NewGetBuffer (reached via memoryview(cdata)), reads self->b_ptr without that critical section:
So memoryview(obj) racing ctypes.resize(obj) reads a b_ptr that resize concurrently reallocates.
Reproducer:
import ctypes
from threading import Thread
buf = (ctypes.c_char * 64)()
def viewer():
for _ in range(20000):
try:
memoryview(buf)
except Exception:
pass
def resizer():
for i in range(20000):
try:
ctypes.resize(buf, 128 if (i & 1) else 256)
except Exception:
pass
threads = [Thread(target=viewer) for _ in range(6)]
threads += [Thread(target=resizer) for _ in range(2)]
for t in threads: t.start()
for t in threads: t.join()
TSAN Report:
==================
WARNING: ThreadSanitizer: data race (pid=1524546)
Read of size 8 at 0x7fffb6b50208 by thread T1:
#0 PyCData_NewGetBuffer /cpython/./Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c:3129:23
#1 PyObject_GetBuffer /cpython/Objects/abstract.c:455:15
#2 _PyManagedBuffer_FromObject /cpython/Objects/memoryobject.c:97:9
#3 PyMemoryView_FromObjectAndFlags /cpython/Objects/memoryobject.c:813:42
#4 PyMemoryView_FromObject /cpython/Objects/memoryobject.c:856:12
#5 memoryview_impl /cpython/Objects/memoryobject.c:1017:12
#6 memoryview /cpython/Objects/clinic/memoryobject.c.h:63:20
#7 type_call /cpython/Objects/typeobject.c:2472:11
#8 _PyObject_MakeTpCall /cpython/Objects/call.c:242:18
#9 _PyObject_VectorcallTstate /cpython/./Include/internal/pycore_call.h:142:16)
#10 PyObject_Vectorcall /cpython/Objects/call.c:327:12
#11 _Py_VectorCall_StackRefSteal /cpython/Python/ceval.c:726:11
#12 _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault /cpython/Python/generated_cases.c.h:4559:35
Previous write of size 8 at 0x7fffb6b50208 by thread T7:
#0 _ctypes_resize_impl /cpython/./Modules/_ctypes/callproc.c
#1 _ctypes_resize /cpython/./Modules/_ctypes/clinic/callproc.c.h:139:20
#2 _Py_BuiltinCallFast_StackRef /cpython/Python/ceval.c:817:11
#3 _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault /cpython/Python/generated_cases.c.h:2510:35
#4 _PyEval_EvalFrame /cpython/./Include/internal/pycore_ceval.h:122:16
SUMMARY: ThreadSanitizer: data race /cpython/./Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c:3129:23 in PyCData_NewGetBuffer
==================
CPython versions tested on:
CPython main branch
Operating systems tested on:
Linux
Linked PRs
- gh-157759
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 with Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c at PyCData_NewGetBuffer and compare its b_ptr access with the critical section in Modules/_ctypes/callproc.c at _ctypes_resize_impl. Run the supplied multithreaded reproducer under ThreadSanitizer. Done means the memoryview/ctypes.resize race is no longer reported while the existing behavior remains intact.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- c, python
- Domain
- backend
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 30/100