packfile: fix corruption due to stale delta base cache entries

The delta base cache is a process-global hashmap that is keyed by the
address of the `struct packed_git` plus the offset of the base object
within that pack. Entries part of the cache are never removed when a
pack is closed, and neither when the pack is subsequently freed. As a
consequence, the cache may contain stale entries.

For a long time, the worst consequence of this leaking cache was that we
held on to memory that we could've released. But the reason for this was
that we didn't even free the packfiles, either. That has changed in
6f1e9394e2 (object: fix leaking packfiles when closing object store,
2024-08-08), where we plugged that leak.

Now that we free them, a new packfile may be allocated using the exact
same address as a previously allocated one. And if the new packfile has
both the same address and a similar layout, it may happen that a
preexisting entry from a previously-allocated in the delta base cache
would have the exact same key.

All of this sounds very theoretical, but we can actually trigger this
bug somewhat reliably! When doing a merge in a repository with lots of
submodules that have similar-looking packfiles we end up opening and
then closing the object databases of each of the submodules in sequence.
Because of the above mentioned commit we would close and free each of
the packfiles part of the respective databases, but we wouldn't evict
their delta base entries from the cache.

When using glibc, one of the packfiles will eventually get the exact
same address, and that will then cause Git to read the wrong entry from
the cache. Git detects this and aborts with an error:

    $ git merge branch-b
    error: Could not read 584ef938be4a749bfa13f68d5ac5545bc029e529
    error: could not parse commit 584ef938be4a749bfa13f68d5ac5545bc029e529
    error: failed to merge submodule G (repository corrupt)

Now in this case we're lucky that Git detects this error because we try
to read a commit from a different submodule via an object database that
doesn't have it. But potentially, in an even more contrived scenario, we
might even silently yield wrong data from the cache.

Fix this bug by evicting cache entries that belong to a specific pack
when closing it.

Note that the added test reliably reproduces the above bug on my machine
that uses NixOS at c59305bab206 (cosmic-applets: add missing runtime
dependency (#566040), 2026-10-01) with glibc 2.44-25. But as we rely on
specific allocation behaviour of glibc it is very likely that the test
will not work on other platforms.

Reported-by: Guillaume Chauvel <guillaume.chauvel@gmail.com>
Helped-by: Philippe Blain <levraiphilippeblain@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
2 files changed
tree: b0b08ac591ff4b3510428832dedaf4c987e553e2
  1. .github/
  2. bin-wrappers/
  3. block-sha1/
  4. builtin/
  5. ci/
  6. compat/
  7. compiler-tricks/
  8. contrib/
  9. Documentation/
  10. ewah/
  11. git-gui/
  12. gitk-git/
  13. gitweb/
  14. mergetools/
  15. negotiator/
  16. odb/
  17. oss-fuzz/
  18. perl/
  19. po/
  20. refs/
  21. reftable/
  22. sha1/
  23. sha1dc/
  24. sha256/
  25. src/
  26. subprojects/
  27. t/
  28. templates/
  29. tools/
  30. trace2/
  31. xdiff/
  32. .b4-config
  33. .b4-cover-template
  34. .cirrus.yml
  35. .clang-format
  36. .editorconfig
  37. .gitattributes
  38. .gitignore
  39. .gitlab-ci.yml
  40. .gitmodules
  41. .mailmap
  42. .tsan-suppressions
  43. abspath.c
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  45. aclocal.m4
  46. add-interactive.c
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  48. add-patch.c
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  50. advice.c
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  52. alias.c
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  54. alloc.c
  55. alloc.h
  56. apply.c
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  58. archive-tar.c
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  60. archive.c
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  62. attr.c
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  65. base85.c
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  67. bisect.c
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  77. build.rs
  78. builtin.h
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  83. cache-tree.c
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  85. Cargo.toml
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  90. checkout.c
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  94. CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
  95. color.c
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  101. commit-graph.c
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  103. commit-reach.c
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  110. common-exit.c
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  114. config.c
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  118. config.mak.uname
  119. configure.ac
  120. connect.c
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  124. convert.c
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  126. copy.c
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  128. COPYING
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  131. csum-file.c
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  134. daemon.c
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  137. decorate.c
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  139. delta-islands.c
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  141. delta.h
  142. diagnose.c
  143. diagnose.h
  144. diff-delta.c
  145. diff-lib.c
  146. diff-merges.c
  147. diff-merges.h
  148. diff-no-index.c
  149. diff.c
  150. diff.h
  151. diffcore-break.c
  152. diffcore-delta.c
  153. diffcore-order.c
  154. diffcore-pickaxe.c
  155. diffcore-rename.c
  156. diffcore-rotate.c
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  158. dir-iterator.c
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  160. dir.c
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  162. editor.c
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  164. entry.c
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  166. environment.c
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  168. exec-cmd.c
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  170. fetch-negotiator.c
  171. fetch-negotiator.h
  172. fetch-object-info.c
  173. fetch-object-info.h
  174. fetch-pack.c
  175. fetch-pack.h
  176. fmt-merge-msg.c
  177. fmt-merge-msg.h
  178. for-each-ref.h
  179. fsck.c
  180. fsck.h
  181. fsmonitor--daemon.h
  182. fsmonitor-ipc.c
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  184. fsmonitor-ll.h
  185. fsmonitor-path-utils.h
  186. fsmonitor-settings.c
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  190. gettext.c
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  192. git-archimport.perl
  193. GIT-BUILD-OPTIONS.in
  194. git-compat-util.h
  195. git-curl-compat.h
  196. git-cvsexportcommit.perl
  197. git-cvsimport.perl
  198. git-cvsserver.perl
  199. git-difftool--helper.sh
  200. git-filter-branch.sh
  201. git-instaweb.sh
  202. git-merge-octopus.sh
  203. git-merge-one-file.sh
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  207. git-p4.py
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  210. git-send-email.perl
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  212. git-sh-setup.sh
  213. git-submodule.sh
  214. git-svn.perl
  215. GIT-VERSION-FILE.in
  216. GIT-VERSION-GEN
  217. git-web--browse.sh
  218. git-zlib.c
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  220. git.c
  221. git.rc.in
  222. gpg-interface.c
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  226. grep.c
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  228. hash-lookup.c
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  230. hash.c
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  232. hashmap.c
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  234. help.c
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  240. hook.c
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  242. http-backend.c
  243. http-fetch.c
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  245. http-walker.c
  246. http.c
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  248. ident.c
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  250. imap-send.c
  251. INSTALL
  252. iterator.h
  253. json-writer.c
  254. json-writer.h
  255. khash.h
  256. kwset.c
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  258. levenshtein.c
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  260. LGPL-2.1
  261. line-log.c
  262. line-log.h
  263. line-range.c
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  265. linear-assignment.c
  266. linear-assignment.h
  267. list-objects-filter-options.c
  268. list-objects-filter-options.h
  269. list-objects-filter.c
  270. list-objects-filter.h
  271. list-objects.c
  272. list-objects.h
  273. list.h
  274. lockfile.c
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  276. log-tree.c
  277. log-tree.h
  278. loose.c
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  280. ls-refs.c
  281. ls-refs.h
  282. mailinfo.c
  283. mailinfo.h
  284. mailmap.c
  285. mailmap.h
  286. Makefile
  287. match-trees.c
  288. match-trees.h
  289. mem-pool.c
  290. mem-pool.h
  291. merge-blobs.c
  292. merge-blobs.h
  293. merge-ll.c
  294. merge-ll.h
  295. merge-ort-wrappers.c
  296. merge-ort-wrappers.h
  297. merge-ort.c
  298. merge-ort.h
  299. merge.c
  300. merge.h
  301. mergesort.h
  302. meson.build
  303. meson_options.txt
  304. midx-write.c
  305. midx.c
  306. midx.h
  307. name-hash.c
  308. name-hash.h
  309. notes-cache.c
  310. notes-cache.h
  311. notes-merge.c
  312. notes-merge.h
  313. notes-utils.c
  314. notes-utils.h
  315. notes.c
  316. notes.h
  317. object-file-convert.c
  318. object-file-convert.h
  319. object-file.c
  320. object-file.h
  321. object-name.c
  322. object-name.h
  323. object.c
  324. object.h
  325. odb.c
  326. odb.h
  327. oid-array.c
  328. oid-array.h
  329. oidmap.c
  330. oidmap.h
  331. oidset.c
  332. oidset.h
  333. oidtree.c
  334. oidtree.h
  335. pack-bitmap-write.c
  336. pack-bitmap.c
  337. pack-bitmap.h
  338. pack-check.c
  339. pack-mtimes.c
  340. pack-mtimes.h
  341. pack-objects.c
  342. pack-objects.h
  343. pack-refs.c
  344. pack-refs.h
  345. pack-revindex.c
  346. pack-revindex.h
  347. pack-write.c
  348. pack.h
  349. packfile-list.c
  350. packfile-list.h
  351. packfile.c
  352. packfile.h
  353. pager.c
  354. pager.h
  355. parallel-checkout.c
  356. parallel-checkout.h
  357. parse-options-cb.c
  358. parse-options.c
  359. parse-options.h
  360. parse.c
  361. parse.h
  362. patch-delta.c
  363. patch-ids.c
  364. patch-ids.h
  365. path-walk.c
  366. path-walk.h
  367. path.c
  368. path.h
  369. pathspec.c
  370. pathspec.h
  371. pkt-line.c
  372. pkt-line.h
  373. preload-index.c
  374. preload-index.h
  375. pretty.c
  376. pretty.h
  377. prio-queue.c
  378. prio-queue.h
  379. progress.c
  380. progress.h
  381. promisor-remote.c
  382. promisor-remote.h
  383. prompt.c
  384. prompt.h
  385. protocol-caps.c
  386. protocol-caps.h
  387. protocol.c
  388. protocol.h
  389. prune-packed.c
  390. prune-packed.h
  391. pseudo-merge.c
  392. pseudo-merge.h
  393. quote.c
  394. quote.h
  395. range-diff.c
  396. range-diff.h
  397. reachable.c
  398. reachable.h
  399. read-cache-ll.h
  400. read-cache.c
  401. read-cache.h
  402. README.md
  403. rebase-interactive.c
  404. rebase-interactive.h
  405. rebase.c
  406. rebase.h
  407. ref-filter.c
  408. ref-filter.h
  409. reflog-walk.c
  410. reflog-walk.h
  411. reflog.c
  412. reflog.h
  413. refs.c
  414. refs.h
  415. refspec.c
  416. refspec.h
  417. remote-curl.c
  418. remote.c
  419. remote.h
  420. repack-cruft.c
  421. repack-filtered.c
  422. repack-geometry.c
  423. repack-midx.c
  424. repack-promisor.c
  425. repack.c
  426. repack.h
  427. replace-object.c
  428. replace-object.h
  429. replay.c
  430. replay.h
  431. repo-settings.c
  432. repo-settings.h
  433. repository.c
  434. repository.h
  435. rerere.c
  436. rerere.h
  437. reset.c
  438. reset.h
  439. resolve-undo.c
  440. resolve-undo.h
  441. revision.c
  442. revision.h
  443. run-command.c
  444. run-command.h
  445. sane-ctype.h
  446. scalar.c
  447. SECURITY.md
  448. send-pack.c
  449. send-pack.h
  450. sequencer.c
  451. sequencer.h
  452. serve.c
  453. serve.h
  454. server-info.c
  455. server-info.h
  456. setup.c
  457. setup.h
  458. sh-i18n--envsubst.c
  459. sha1dc_git.c
  460. sha1dc_git.h
  461. shallow.c
  462. shallow.h
  463. shared.mak
  464. shell.c
  465. shortlog.h
  466. sideband.c
  467. sideband.h
  468. sigchain.c
  469. sigchain.h
  470. simple-ipc.h
  471. sparse-index.c
  472. sparse-index.h
  473. split-index.c
  474. split-index.h
  475. stable-qsort.c
  476. stash.h
  477. statinfo.c
  478. statinfo.h
  479. strbuf.c
  480. strbuf.h
  481. string-list.c
  482. string-list.h
  483. strmap.c
  484. strmap.h
  485. strvec.c
  486. strvec.h
  487. sub-process.c
  488. sub-process.h
  489. submodule-config.c
  490. submodule-config.h
  491. submodule.c
  492. submodule.h
  493. symlinks.c
  494. symlinks.h
  495. tag.c
  496. tag.h
  497. tar.h
  498. tempfile.c
  499. tempfile.h
  500. thread-utils.c
  501. thread-utils.h
  502. tmp-objdir.c
  503. tmp-objdir.h
  504. trace.c
  505. trace.h
  506. trace2.c
  507. trace2.h
  508. trailer.c
  509. trailer.h
  510. transport-helper.c
  511. transport-internal.h
  512. transport.c
  513. transport.h
  514. tree-diff.c
  515. tree-walk.c
  516. tree-walk.h
  517. tree.c
  518. tree.h
  519. unicode-width.h
  520. unimplemented.sh
  521. unix-socket.c
  522. unix-socket.h
  523. unix-stream-server.c
  524. unix-stream-server.h
  525. unpack-trees.c
  526. unpack-trees.h
  527. upload-pack.c
  528. upload-pack.h
  529. url.c
  530. url.h
  531. urlmatch.c
  532. urlmatch.h
  533. usage.c
  534. userdiff.c
  535. userdiff.h
  536. utf8.c
  537. utf8.h
  538. varint.c
  539. varint.h
  540. version-def.h.in
  541. version.c
  542. version.h
  543. versioncmp.c
  544. versioncmp.h
  545. walker.c
  546. walker.h
  547. wildmatch.c
  548. wildmatch.h
  549. worktree.c
  550. worktree.h
  551. wrapper.c
  552. wrapper.h
  553. write-or-die.c
  554. write-or-die.h
  555. ws.c
  556. ws.h
  557. wt-status.c
  558. wt-status.h
  559. xdiff-interface.c
  560. xdiff-interface.h
README.md

GitHub build status GitLab build status

Git - fast, scalable, distributed revision control system

Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system with an unusually rich command set that provides both high-level operations and full access to internals.

Git is an Open Source project covered by the GNU General Public License version 2 (some parts of it are under different licenses, compatible with the GPLv2). It was originally written by Linus Torvalds with help of a group of hackers around the net.

Please read the file INSTALL for installation instructions.

Many Git online resources are accessible from https://git-scm.com/ including full documentation and Git related tools.

See Documentation/gittutorial.adoc to get started, then see Documentation/giteveryday.adoc for a useful minimum set of commands, and Documentation/git-<commandname>.adoc for documentation of each command. If git has been correctly installed, then the tutorial can also be read with man gittutorial or git help tutorial, and the documentation of each command with man git-<commandname> or git help <commandname>.

CVS users may also want to read Documentation/gitcvs-migration.adoc (man gitcvs-migration or git help cvs-migration if git is installed).

The user discussion and development of Git take place on the Git mailing list -- everyone is welcome to post bug reports, feature requests, comments and patches to git@vger.kernel.org (read Documentation/SubmittingPatches for instructions on patch submission and Documentation/CodingGuidelines).

Those wishing to help with error message, usage and informational message string translations (localization l10) should see po/README.md (a po file is a Portable Object file that holds the translations).

To subscribe to the list, send an email to git+subscribe@vger.kernel.org (see https://subspace.kernel.org/subscribing.html for details). The mailing list archives are available at https://lore.kernel.org/git/, https://marc.info/?l=git and other archival sites.

Issues which are security relevant should be disclosed privately to the Git Security mailing list git-security@googlegroups.com.

The maintainer frequently sends the “What's cooking” reports that list the current status of various development topics to the mailing list. The discussion following them give a good reference for project status, development direction and remaining tasks.

The name “git” was given by Linus Torvalds when he wrote the very first version. He described the tool as “the stupid content tracker” and the name as (depending on your mood):

  • random three-letter combination that is pronounceable, and not actually used by any common UNIX command. The fact that it is a mispronunciation of “get” may or may not be relevant.
  • stupid. contemptible and despicable. simple. Take your pick from the dictionary of slang.
  • “global information tracker”: you're in a good mood, and it actually works for you. Angels sing, and a light suddenly fills the room.
  • “goddamn idiotic truckload of sh*t”: when it breaks