[tor-bugs] #10281 [Applications/Tor Browser]: Investigate usage of alternate memory allocators and memory hardening options

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#10281: Investigate usage of alternate memory allocators and memory hardening
options
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 Reporter:  mikeperry                            |          Owner:
                                                 |  arthuredelstein
     Type:  enhancement                          |         Status:
                                                 |  needs_information
 Priority:  Very High                            |      Milestone:
Component:  Applications/Tor Browser             |        Version:
 Severity:  Normal                               |     Resolution:
 Keywords:  tbb-security, tbb-hardened,          |  Actual Points:
  TorBrowserTeam201612R                          |
Parent ID:                                       |         Points:
 Reviewer:                                       |        Sponsor:
                                                 |  SponsorU
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Comment (by arthuredelstein):

 Replying to [comment:40 arthuredelstein]:

 > Unfortunately, when I include just the 4 patches from comment:29 and use
 `MOZ_JEMALLOC4=1`, I get build errors.

 Apparently I was doing something wrong here. When I wiped everything
 again, the build worked fine with the 4 patches from comment:29. Sorry for
 my confusion!

 Here's a new version, using the 4 patches from comment:29 to upgrade to
 jemalloc 4.3.1. Then my additional patch enables jemalloc4 as the memory
 allocator and activates aborts on redzones.

 https://github.com/arthuredelstein/tor-browser/commits/10281+3

 And here is the same extra test patch, again. I get the same results as in
 comment:39:

 https://github.com/arthuredelstein/tor-browser/commit/10281+3_check

 Something Yawning pointed out is that redzones will no longer be available
 in jemalloc 5:
 https://github.com/jemalloc/jemalloc/issues/369
 But given that Firefox 52 still uses jemalloc 4.x, we should be OK for all
 of 2017. I see redzones as a stopgap while we continue to look for better
 options.

--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/10281#comment:41>
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