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Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 15:28:19 -0500
From: Ryan Underwood <nemesis-lists@icequake.net>
To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: Forking shell bombs
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Hi,

> That's what per-user process limits are for.  Doesn't matter if it's a
> shellscript or something else; any system without limits set is
> vulnerable.

I agree, but it would also be nice to have a way to clean up after the
fact without giving up the box.  My limit is set at 2047 processes
which, while being a lot, doesn't seem like enough to guarantee a dead
box.  (Don't many busy systems have more than this number running at any
given time?)

> It's a base redhat kernel, after the cannot allocate memory, my system 
> returned to normal operation and it didnt die.
> Is this the type of behavior you were looking for? or am i off base?
> 
> Linux sloth 2.4.20-8 #1 Thu Mar 13 17:54:28 EST 2003 i686 i686 i386 
> GNU/Linux
> 
> $ :(){ :|:&};:
> [1] 3071
> 
> $
> [1]+  Done                    : | :
> 
> $ -bash: fork: Cannot allocate memory
> -bash: fork: Cannot allocate memory
> -bash: fork: Cannot allocate memory
> -bash: fork: Cannot allocate memory

Nope, on my system running stock 2.4.21, after hitting enter, wait about 2
seconds, and the system is frozen.  Telnet connects but never gets a
shell.  None of the SysRq process-killing combos have any effect.  After
a few failed killalls (which eventually killed the one shell I was able
to get), and Alt-SysRq-S never completing the sync, I gave up and
Alt-SysRq-B.

What does ulimit -u say on your system?  2047 on mine.

-- 
Ryan Underwood, <nemesis at icequake.net>, icq=10317253
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