[ruby-core:122822] [Ruby Bug#21438] use-after-free when resizing exivars

19 Jul 2025

      Issue #21438 has been updated by nagachika (Tomoyuki Chikanaga).

Backport changed from 3.2: WONTFIX, 3.3: REQUIRED, 3.4: DONE to 3.2: WONTFIX, 3.3: DONE, 3.4: DONE

Merged into ruby_3_3.

----------------------------------------
Bug #21438: use-after-free when resizing exivars
https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/issues/21438#change-114109

* Author: byroot (Jean Boussier)
* Status: Closed
* Backport: 3.2: WONTFIX, 3.3: DONE, 3.4: DONE
----------------------------------------
Here's a semi-reliable reproduction: 

```ruby
objs = 10_000.times.map do
  a = []
  a.instance_variable_set(:@a, 1)
  a
end

GC.stress = true
GC.auto_compact = true

steps = 1000.times.map do
  a = []
  a.instance_variable_set(:@a, 1)
  a.instance_variable_set(:@b, 2)
  a.instance_variable_set(:@c, 3)
  a.instance_variable_set(:@d, 4)
  a.instance_variable_set(:@e, 5)
  a.instance_variable_set(:@f, 6)
  a.instance_variable_set(:@g, 7)
  a.instance_variable_set(:@h, 8)
  # resize
  a.instance_variable_set(:@i, 9)
  a.instance_variable_set(:@j, 10)
  a
end
objs.clear

GC.stress = false
GC.auto_compact = false
```

The Exivar codepath uses `st_update` and allocate within the codebase.

If GC trigger, it may remove entires from the table, or delete+insert in case of compaction, and this can trigger a table rebuild of the generic fields st_table in the middle of calling the st_update callback.
This can cause entries to be reallocated or rearranged and the update to be for the wrong entry.

Auto compaction isn't strictly required to trigger the bug, but makes it more likely.

-- 
https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/