time.tzset() races on process-global timezone state
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extension-modules
type-bug
- Dominant language
- Python
- Stars
- 77.2k
- Forks
- 35.9k
- PR merge metrics
- PR metrics pending
Description
Bug report
Bug description:
import time, os, threading
N=8; ITERS=5000
barrier=threading.Barrier(N)
def setter():
barrier.wait()
for i in range(ITERS):
os.environ['TZ']='UTC0' if i&1 else 'EST5EDT'
time.tzset()
def reader():
barrier.wait()
for _ in range(ITERS):
time.localtime();
try: time.strftime('%Z')
except Exception: pass
ts=[threading.Thread(target=setter) for _ in range(N//2)]+[threading.Thread(target=reader) for _ in range(N//2)]
[t.start() for t in ts]; [t.join() for t in ts]
print("done tzset")
WARNING: ThreadSanitizer: data race
Read of size 4 by thread T3:
#0 strncpy
#1 get_zone Modules/timemodule.c:1773
#2 init_timezone Modules/timemodule.c:1864
#3 time_tzset Modules/timemodule.c:1182
Previous write of size 8 by thread T1 (malloc, in another time_tzset)
Location is heap block of size 20 allocated by thread T1
(also: read at tmtotuple Modules/timemodule.c:490 — localtime/gmtime struct_time builder)
(truncated sanitizer output)
CPython versions tested on:
CPython main branch
Operating systems tested on:
Linux
Linked PRs
- gh-157806
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/timemodule.c, especially get_zone, init_timezone, time_tzset, and the tmtotuple path named in the sanitizer report. Reproduce the example under ThreadSanitizer and review linked PR gh-157806; done means the reported races no longer occur while timezone APIs retain their expected behavior.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- c, python
- Domain
- operating-systems
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100