Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
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Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
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Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#2Bit rot is real. Last month we’ve had weird linker errors on one of our build servers. Turns out that one of the binary libs in the build cache got a single bit flipped in the symbol table, which changed the symbol name, causing the linker errors. If the bit-flip had occured in the .TEXT section, then it wouldn’t have caused any errors at build time, and we would have released a buggy binary. It might have just crashed, but it could have silently corrupted data…
Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#3Bit rot is real. Last month we’ve had weird linker errors on one of our build servers. Turns out that one of the binary libs in the build cache got a single bit flipped in the symbol table, which changed the symbol name, causing the linker errors. If the bit-flip had occured in the .TEXT section, then it wouldn’t have caused any errors at build time, and we would have released a buggy binary. It might have just crash…
I am used to ‘bit rot’ refer to code becoming obsolete due to lack of maintenance. Can’t we use another term for actual hardware errors?
Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#4Layman question: Is it possible to shield electronics against cosmic rays?
Or is it like a neutrino thing, where they just go through everything? (But neutrinos barely interact, correct?)
Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#5Bit rot is real. Last month we’ve had weird linker errors on one of our build servers. Turns out that one of the binary libs in the build cache got a single bit flipped in the symbol table, which changed the symbol name, causing the linker errors. If the bit-flip had occured in the .TEXT section, then it wouldn’t have caused any errors at build time, and we would have released a buggy binary. It might have just crash…
Were you actually able to diff it down to a single bit flip?
Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#6Bit rot is real. Last month we’ve had weird linker errors on one of our build servers. Turns out that one of the binary libs in the build cache got a single bit flipped in the symbol table, which changed the symbol name, causing the linker errors. If the bit-flip had occured in the .TEXT section, then it wouldn’t have caused any errors at build time, and we would have released a buggy binary. It might have just crash…
Is this bit rot happening on a server w/ ECC RAM just curious?
Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#7Layman question: Is it possible to shield electronics against cosmic rays? Or is it like a neutrino thing, where they just go through everything? (But neutrinos barely interact, correct?)
It should be possible, but not practical.
It's easier to just code checks and balances to fix those errors instead. There's a famous story about a Google search bug caused by a comic ray and they implemented such error checking on their servers after that
Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#8I’d like to think the typo very last word in that thread is a lucky bit flip.
Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#9In conclusion, the Yeti shart of 2022 will contain no more logs.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I read that final post.
Re: Single random bit flip causes error in certificate transparency log
#10Can't say I really like the title as it comes across as an absolute statement whereas the bit flip could have happened for any number of unknown reasons.
I saw a similar take on Twitter and whilst root causing such things (especially when it's a single occurrence) isn't always possible, shrugging and saying "cosmic rays" should be the last thing to posit not one of the first.