[AVRO-1111] Malformed data can cause OutOfMemoryError in Avro IPC

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 1.6.3
• Fix Version/s: 1.7.2
• Component/s: java
• Hadoop Flags: Reviewed
• Assignee: Mike Percy
• Reporter: Hari Shreedharan
• Created: 09/Jun/12 02:37
• Updated: 08/Jan/13 21:54
• Resolved: 11/Sep/12 15:50

Description

If the data that comes in through the Netty channel buffer is not framed correctly/is not valid Avro data, then the incoming data can cause arbitrarily large array lists to be created, causing OutOfMemoryError.

The relevant code(org.apache.avro.ipc.NettyTransportCodec):

private boolean decodePackHeader(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Channel channel,
ChannelBuffer buffer) throws Exception {
if (buffer.readableBytes()<8)

{ return false; }

int serial = buffer.readInt();
listSize = buffer.readInt();
dataPack = new NettyDataPack(serial, new ArrayList<ByteBuffer>(listSize));
return true;
}

If the buffer does not have valid Avro data, the listSize variable can have arbitrary values, causing massive ArrayLists to be created, leading to OutOfMemoryErrors.

Issue Links

• blocks: FLUME-1259 Flume throws OutOfMemory error when sending data from netcat to avro source (negative test case)
• is related to: AVRO-1226 Non-Avro data causes runtime exceptions/errors when sent to Avro NettyTransceiver