2.6.19-rc4-mm1: writev() _functional_ regression

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

 



Andrew,

Somewhere in between 2.6.18-mm3 and 2.6.19-rc4-mm1 writev() got screwed.
It does not accept zero-length segments anymore.

Bad thing that it is extremely easy to trigger (even w/o explicit writev calls).
For example the following innocent program will fail with 2.6.19-rc4-mm1:

======================
#include <string.h>
#include <fstream>

int main()
{
  char buf[1024];
  memset(buf, 'A', sizeof(buf));
  std::ofstream ofs("test");
  //ofs << 1 << '\n';
  ofs.write(buf, sizeof(buf));
  return 0;
}
======================


Here is the corresponding part if strace:

======================
open("test", O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC|O_LARGEFILE, 0666) = 3
writev(3, [{NULL, 0}, {"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"..., 1024}], 2) = -1 EFAULT (Bad address)
close(3)                                = 0
======================


With 2.6.18-mm3 it works

======================
open("test", O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC|O_LARGEFILE, 0666) = 3
writev(3, [{NULL, 0}, {"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"..., 1024}], 2) = 1024
close(3)                                = 0
======================


It works with 2.6.19-rc4-mm1 _if_ zero-length segments are eliminated
(by uncommenting ofs << 1 << '\n'):

======================
open("test", O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC|O_LARGEFILE, 0666) = 3
writev(3, [{"1\n", 2}, {"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"..., 1024}], 2) = 1026
close(3)                                = 0
======================


Given that _all_ applications using C++ streams are potentially affected
I think it's better to preserve the previous behavior even if it is
something from "undefined behavior world" (or a plain bug).

The bug is quite dangerous (I was really close to wipe out my mp3 collection).

Please let me know if you want me to try any patches.

Thank you,
	Nick Orlov.
-- 
With best wishes,
	Nick Orlov.

-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to [email protected]
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/

[Index of Archives]     [Kernel Newbies]     [Netfilter]     [Bugtraq]     [Photo]     [Stuff]     [Gimp]     [Yosemite News]     [MIPS Linux]     [ARM Linux]     [Linux Security]     [Linux RAID]     [Video 4 Linux]     [Linux for the blind]     [Linux Resources]
  Powered by Linux