[bug #13509] GNUstep use of FFI is completely broken

[Armando Di Cianno]

URL:
  <http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?func=detailitem&item_id=13509>

                 Summary: GNUstep use of FFI is completely broken
                 Project: GNUstep
            Submitted by: fafhrd
            Submitted on: Wed 06/22/2005 at 19:59
                Category: Base/Foundation
                Severity: 3 - Normal
              Item Group: Bug
                  Status: None
                 Privacy: Public
             Assigned to: None
             Open/Closed: Open

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Details:

History
-------

I maintain the GNUstep ebuilds for Gentoo.  When I first started doing that, I
did some researching, and noticed some Gentoo security dev once mentioning
that "ffcall does evil things" in an email.  I emailed the security people and
asked them why ffcall was "evil".  Basically, the response was that ffcall
uses trampolines, which aren't the safest way to go.  Since then, libffi has
been the only option to use, since it did not use trampolines.

Until yesterday, I have never had a complete breakdown of GNUstep, although
minor issues where attributed to libffi/GNUstep/GSFFIInvocation/mframe.

Bug
---
Yesterday, I finished up my base install of a new, nice, fast dev box I
purchased.  I installed my GNUstep ebuilds.  I installed GWorkspace.  I
installed GNUMail.

GWorkspace crashes when I drag a folder icon to the "top bar" (to createa a
"shortcut").  GNUMail crashes when I click in a textbox (to configure email
accounts.  Both crash with a SIGSEGV.

I attempted to use gdb to set breakpoints and see what was crashing it, but no
matter what I break'd on, the stack was completely blown.  Thinking it was
gpbs and/or gdnc and/or gdomap, I ran all in the foreground.  I used LD_DEBUG.
 I didn't start them at login, and had the applications launch them.  Nothing
helped.

I decided to at least try ffcall, regardless of if I would continue using it
-- ffcall removes all of the problems.

Request
-------
Depending on if GNUstep "fears" trampolines in ffcall, or the mess that is the
GSFFIInvocation code, one of these packages should be chosen.

Summary
-------
GNUstep use of libffi is completely broken, and needs to be fixed, or removed,
as it is likely the cause of most "sketchy" bugs with core GNUstep packages
(that I have ever experienced).






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