New subject: [ruby-core:125149] [Ruby Bug#21969] fork() + Socket.getaddrinfo() triggers SIGSEGV/SIGABRT via libsystem_trace.dylib on macOS 26 (darwin25) x86_64 and ARM64

30 Mar 2026

      Issue #21969 has been reported by saurabhpandit (Saurabh Pandit).

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Bug #21969: fork() + Socket.getaddrinfo() triggers SIGSEGV/SIGABRT via libsystem_trace.dylib on macOS 26 (darwin25) x86_64 and ARM64
https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/issues/21969

* Author: saurabhpandit (Saurabh Pandit)
* Status: Open
* ruby -v: 4.0.1
* Backport: 3.2: UNKNOWN, 3.3: UNKNOWN, 3.4: UNKNOWN, 4.0: UNKNOWN
----------------------------------------
On macOS 26 (darwin25), forked child processes crash with SIGSEGV (x86_64) or SIGABRT (ARM64) when calling `Socket.getaddrinfo` after the parent process has established `libsystem_trace.dylib` os_log shared-memory state through prior DNS activity.

This is distinct from [#21790](https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/issues/21790) (NAT64 hang/crash in `_gai_nat64_second_pass`). The crash site here is `_os_log_preferences_refresh` and `os_log_type_enabled` inside `libsystem_trace.dylib` — the OS logging subsystem, not the DNS resolver. The stale shared-memory pointer for os_log preferences is inherited across `fork()` and dereferenced in the child, causing the fault.

### Ruby -v

x86_64
~ root# /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/bin/ruby -v
ruby 4.0.1 (2026-01-13 revision e04267a14b) +PRISM [x86_64-darwin25]

arm64
~ root# /opt/puppetlabs/puppet/bin/ruby -v
ruby 4.0.1 (2026-01-13 revision e04267a14b) +PRISM [arm64-darwin25]

### Crash stack (x86_64, Ruby 4.0.1 embedded — same frames observed on 3.x)

```
[BUG] Segmentation fault at 0x0000000101fd0863
ruby 4.0.1 (2025-02-26 revision ???) [x86_64-darwin25]

-- C level backtrace information -------------------------------------------
_os_log_preferences_refresh + 0x2f   (libsystem_trace.dylib)
_os_log_preferences_check_extended   (libsystem_trace.dylib)
_os_log_type_enabled                 (libsystem_trace.dylib)
... (DNS resolution internals)
Socket.getaddrinfo                   (ext/socket)
```

Apple's crash reporter (`asi`) confirms: "crashed on child side of fork pre-exec".

### Signal asymmetry between architectures

| Architecture | Signal | Reason |
|-----------|---------|---------|
| x86_64 | SIGSEGV (11) | Ruby's `sigsegv` handler re-delivers the signal; child exits 11 |
| ARM64 | SIGABRT (6) | Ruby's `sigabrt` handler calls `abort();` child exits 6 |

Both architectures crash identically — the signal number differs only due to Ruby's signal handler behaviour. Monitoring that watches only for `termsig == 11` **will miss all ARM64 crashes** .

### Reproducer

```ruby
#!/usr/bin/env ruby
# frozen_string_literal: true
#
# Minimal Ruby-only fork reproducer for macOS 26 segfault.
# Only configurable option: TRIALS=<n>
#
# Run: ruby reproducer.rb
# Crash expected within ~10–20 trials on a primed x86_64 system.
# ARM64: may crash on trial 1; check for termsig 6 (SIGABRT) not just 11.

require 'socket'

TRIALS       = Integer(ENV.fetch('TRIALS', '50'))
HOST         = 'api.segment.io'
PORT         = 443
PRIME_THREADS = 8

SIGSEGV_NUM = 11
SIGABRT_NUM = 6

# Keep parent DNS activity running while children fork to increase race
# likelihood — this primes the os_log shared-memory state in libsystem_trace.
def start_prime_threads(host, port, thread_count)
  stop = false
  threads = Array.new(thread_count) do
    Thread.new do
      until stop
        begin
          Socket.getaddrinfo(host, port, nil, :STREAM)
        rescue
          nil
        end
      end
    end
  end
  [threads, proc { stop = true }]
end

puts '=== Minimal Ruby fork reproducer ==='
puts "Ruby #{RUBY_VERSION} (#{RUBY_PLATFORM})"
puts "Host=#{HOST} Port=#{PORT} Trials=#{TRIALS}"
puts

prime_threads, stop_primers = start_prime_threads(HOST, PORT, PRIME_THREADS)
sleep 0.2
puts 'Priming active'
puts

crash_count = 0

begin
  TRIALS.times do |trial|
    pid = fork do
      Socket.getaddrinfo(HOST, PORT, nil, :STREAM)
      exit 0
    rescue
      exit 0
    end

    _, status = Process.waitpid2(pid)

    if status.signaled? && [SIGSEGV_NUM, SIGABRT_NUM].include?(status.termsig)
      crash_count += 1
      puts "[Trial #{trial + 1}] CRASH signal=#{status.termsig}"
    else
      print '.'
    end
  end
ensure
  stop_primers.call
  prime_threads.each(&:join)
end

puts
puts '=== Summary ==='
puts "CRASH: #{crash_count} / #{TRIALS}"
exit(crash_count.positive? ? 1 : 0)

```

### Observed output (x86_64-darwin25)

```
=== Minimal Ruby fork reproducer ===
Ruby 3.4.1 (x86_64-darwin25)
Host=api.segment.io Port=443 Trials=50
Priming active

......[Trial 7] CRASH signal=11
......[Trial 14] CRASH signal=11
...

=== Summary ===
CRASH: 8 / 50
```
On ARM64, signal=6 (SIGABRT) is reported instead of 11.

### Conditions required

1. Parent process runs continuous `Socket.getaddrinfo` threads before forking (primes `libsystem_trace.dylib` os_log shared-memory)
2. Child calls `Socket.getaddrinfo` — this triggers `os_log_type_enabled` → `_os_log_preferences_refresh` → stale pointer dereference
3. macOS 26 (darwin25) only — not reproducible on macOS 14/15

---Files--------------------------------
ruby_fork_resolv_getaddrinfo_prime1_x86_64.log (197 KB)
ruby_fork_resolv_getaddrinfo_prime1_ARM64.log (202 KB)

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

[ruby-core:125148] [Ruby Bug#21969] fork() + Socket.getaddrinfo() triggers SIGSEGV/SIGABRT via libsystem_trace.dylib on macOS 26 (darwin25) x86_64 and ARM64

saurabhpandit (Saurabh Pandit)

mame (Yusuke Endoh)

tags

participants (2)