hakmem/docs/status/PHASE15_BUG_ANALYSIS.md

# Phase 15 Bug Analysis - ExternalGuard Crash Investigation

**Date**: 2025-11-15
**Status**: ROOT CAUSE IDENTIFIED

## Summary

ExternalGuard is being called with a page-aligned pointer (`0x7fd8f8202000`) that:
- `hak_super_lookup()` returns NULL (not in registry)
- `__libc_free()` rejects as "invalid pointer"

## Evidence

### Crash Log
```
[ExternalGuard] ptr=0x7fd8f8202000 offset_in_page=0x0 (call #1)
[ExternalGuard] >>> Use: addr2line -e <binary> 0x58b613548275
[ExternalGuard] hak_super_lookup(ptr) = (nil)
[ExternalGuard] ptr=0x7fd8f8202000 delegated to __libc_free
free(): invalid pointer
```

### Caller Identification
Using objdump analysis, caller address `0x...8275` maps to:
- **Function**: `free()` wrapper (line 0xb270 in binary)
- **Source**: `free(slots)` from bench_random_mixed.c line 85

### Allocation Analysis
```c
// bench_random_mixed.c line 34:
void** slots = (void**)calloc(256, sizeof(void*));  // = 2048 bytes
```

**calloc(2048) routing** (core/box/hak_wrappers.inc.h:282-285):
```c
if (ld_safe_mode_calloc >= 2 || total > TINY_MAX_SIZE) {  // TINY_MAX_SIZE = 1023
    extern void* __libc_calloc(size_t, size_t);
    return __libc_calloc(nmemb, size);  // ← Delegates to libc!
}
```

**Expected**: `calloc(2048)` → `__libc_calloc()` (delegated to libc)

## Root Cause Analysis

### Free Path Bug (core/box/hak_wrappers.inc.h)

**Lines 147-166**: Early classification
```c
ptr_classification_t c = classify_ptr(ptr);
if (is_hakmem_owned) {
    hak_free_at(ptr, ...);  // Path A: HAKMEM allocations
    return;
}
```

**Lines 226-228**: **FINAL FALLBACK** - unconditional routing
```c
g_hakmem_lock_depth++;
hak_free_at(ptr, 0, HAK_CALLSITE());  // ← BUG: Routes ALL pointers!
g_hakmem_lock_depth--;
```

**The Bug**: Non-HAKMEM pointers that pass all early-exit checks (lines 171-225) get unconditionally routed to `hak_free_at()`, even though `classify_ptr()` returned `PTR_KIND_EXTERNAL` (not HAKMEM-owned).

### Why __libc_free() Rejects the Pointer

**Two Hypotheses**:

**Hypothesis A**: Pointer is from `__libc_calloc()` (expected), but something corrupts it before reaching `__libc_free()`
- Test: calloc(256, 8) returned offset 0x2a0 (not page-aligned)
- **Contradiction**: Crash log shows page-aligned pointer (0x...000)
- **Conclusion**: Pointer is NOT from `calloc(slots)`

**Hypothesis B**: Pointer is a HAKMEM allocation that `classify_ptr()` failed to recognize
- Pool TLS allocations CAN be page-aligned (mmap'd chunks)
- `hak_super_lookup()` returns NULL → not in Tiny registry
- **Likely**: This is a Pool TLS allocation (2KB = Pool range 8-52KB)

## Verification Tests

### Test 1: Pool TLS Allocation Check
```bash
# Check if 2KB allocations use Pool TLS
./test/pool_tls_allocation_test 2048
```

### Test 2: classify_ptr() Behavior
```c
void* ptr = calloc(256, sizeof(void*));  // 2048 bytes
ptr_classification_t c = classify_ptr(ptr);
printf("kind=%d (POOL_TLS=%d, EXTERNAL=%d)\n",
       c.kind, PTR_KIND_POOL_TLS, PTR_KIND_EXTERNAL);
```

## Next Steps

### Option 1: Fix free() Wrapper Logic (Recommended)
Change line 227 to check HAKMEM ownership first:
```c
// Before (BUG):
hak_free_at(ptr, 0, HAK_CALLSITE());  // Routes ALL pointers

// After (FIX):
if (is_hakmem_owned) {
    hak_free_at(ptr, 0, HAK_CALLSITE());
} else {
    extern void __libc_free(void*);
    __libc_free(ptr);  // Proper fallback for libc allocations
}
```

**Problem**: `is_hakmem_owned` is out of scope (line 149-159 block)

**Solution**: Hoist `is_hakmem_owned` to function scope or re-classify at line 226

### Option 2: Fix classify_ptr() to Recognize Pool TLS
If pointer is actually Pool TLS but misclassified:
- Add Pool TLS registry lookup to `classify_ptr()`
- Ensure Pool allocations are properly registered

### Option 3: Defer Phase 15 (Current)
Revert to Phase 14-C until free() wrapper logic is fixed

## User's Insight

> "うん？　mincore のセグフォはむしろ　違う層から呼ばれているという　バグ発見じゃにゃいの？"

**Translation**: "Wait, isn't the mincore SEGV actually detecting a bug - that it's being called from the wrong layer?"

**Interpretation**: ExternalGuard being called is CORRECT behavior - it's detecting that a HAKMEM pointer (Pool TLS?) is not being recognized by the classification layer!

## Conclusion

**Primary Bug**: `free()` wrapper unconditionally routes all pointers to `hak_free_at()` at line 227, regardless of HAKMEM ownership.

**Secondary Bug (suspected)**: `classify_ptr()` may fail to recognize Pool TLS allocations, causing them to be misclassified as `PTR_KIND_EXTERNAL`.

**Recommendation**: Fix Option 1 (free() wrapper logic) first, then investigate Pool TLS classification if issue persists.