[Bug 391761] Re: process limit unlimited (regression)

[Jan Rathmann]

I just did the "fork bomb test" (entering :(){ :|:&};: in a terminal) on my Oneiric installation, and it still crashes the system.
This should not happen if I get this report right, so perhaps the report should be re-opened?

A workaround for me is adding lines like

* hard nproc 4096

to /etc/security/limits.conf (as suggested above by Steve Langasek).

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/391761

Title:
  process limit unlimited (regression)

Status in “pam” package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  AFAIK, RLIMIT_NPROC is determined by the kernel based on available
  physical memory.  In my 512M VMs, I see the following results of
  "ulimit -u":

  dapper: unlimited
  hardy, intrepid: 4095
  jaunty, karmic: unlimited

  The intention is to have this set to in an attempt to reasonably
  mitigate fork-bombs without getting in the way of intentionally big
  process collections.  Jaunty and Karmic appear to have regressed.  I
  am assuming this is a PAM bug, but it may be a kernel issue.  Tracking
  RLIMIT setting has always eluded me.  :)

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