gh-159739: Guard cProfile against reentry while processing an external timer

An external timer can run Python again when the profiler converts or releases its result or reports an unraisable exception. Calling clear() or disable() at that point could free a profiling context still in use. Calling Profiler.__init__() from the timer could also destroy the active callable. Keep the guard active through result handling and reject reinitialization while an external timer is running.

Author: jelle-openai

Lib/test/test_profiling/test_tracing_profiler.py

@@ -85,6 +85,39 @@ def __call__(self):
             profiler_with_evil_timer.clear()
             self.assertEqual(cm.unraisable.exc_type, RuntimeError)
 
+    def test_external_timer_result_reentry(self):
+        import _lsprof
+
+        class Ticks:
+            def __index__(self):
+                profiler.clear()
+                return 0
+
+        profiler = _lsprof.Profiler(Ticks, timeunit=1)
+        with support.catch_unraisable_exception() as cm:
+            profiler.enable()
+            try:
+                (lambda: None)()
+            finally:
+                profiler.disable()
+            self.assertIs(cm.unraisable.exc_type, RuntimeError)
+
+    def test_external_timer_reinitializes_profiler(self):
+        import _lsprof
+
+        def timer():
+            profiler.__init__()
+            return 0
+
+        profiler = _lsprof.Profiler(timer)
+        with support.catch_unraisable_exception() as cm:
+            profiler.enable()
+            try:
+                (lambda: None)()
+            finally:
+                profiler.disable()
+            self.assertIs(cm.unraisable.exc_type, RuntimeError)
+
     def test_enable_in_external_timer(self):
         # gh-157639: Enabling the profiler from an external timer should not crash
         import _lsprof

Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-10-22-16-30-00.gh-issue-159739.mFWntK.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Fix crashes in :mod:`cProfile` when a custom timer reinitializes the profiler
+or its result clears or disables the profiler during conversion or cleanup.

Modules/_lsprof.c

@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ typedef struct {
     ProfilerContext *currentProfilerContext;
     ProfilerContext *freelistProfilerContext;
     int flags;
+    unsigned int activeTimers;  /* may overlap if the profiler lock is released */
     PyObject *externalTimer;
     double externalTimerUnit;
     int tool_id;
@@ -63,7 +64,6 @@ typedef struct {
 #define POF_ENABLED     0x001
 #define POF_SUBCALLS    0x002
 #define POF_BUILTINS    0x004
-#define POF_EXT_TIMER   0x008
 #define POF_NOMEMORY    0x100
 
 /*[clinic input]
@@ -92,13 +92,7 @@ _lsprof_get_state(PyObject *module)
 
 static PyTime_t CallExternalTimer(ProfilerObject *pObj)
 {
-    PyObject *o = NULL;
-
-    // External timer can do arbitrary things so we need a flag to prevent
-    // horrible things to happen
-    pObj->flags |= POF_EXT_TIMER;
-    o = _PyObject_CallNoArgs(pObj->externalTimer);
-    pObj->flags &= ~POF_EXT_TIMER;
+    PyObject *o = _PyObject_CallNoArgs(pObj->externalTimer);
 
     if (o == NULL) {
         PyErr_FormatUnraisable("Exception ignored while calling "
@@ -132,7 +126,12 @@ static inline PyTime_t
 call_timer(ProfilerObject *pObj)
 {
     if (pObj->externalTimer != NULL) {
-        return CallExternalTimer(pObj);
+        /* Converting or releasing the result and reporting an unraisable
+           exception can all run Python code. */
+        pObj->activeTimers++;
+        PyTime_t result = CallExternalTimer(pObj);
+        pObj->activeTimers--;
+        return result;
     }
     else {
         PyTime_t t;
@@ -365,7 +364,7 @@ ptrace_enter_call(PyObject *self, void *key, PyObject *userObj)
 
     /* Events raised by the external timer must be ignored: it can run
        arbitrary code while a context is still being unwound. */
-    if (pObj->flags & POF_EXT_TIMER) {
+    if (pObj->activeTimers) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -411,7 +410,7 @@ ptrace_leave_call(PyObject *self, void *key)
     ProfilerEntry *profEntry;
     ProfilerContext *pContext;
 
-    if (pObj->flags & POF_EXT_TIMER) {
+    if (pObj->activeTimers) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -897,7 +896,7 @@ static PyObject *
 _lsprof_Profiler_disable_impl(ProfilerObject *self)
 /*[clinic end generated code: output=838cffef7f651870 input=f7e4787cae20f7f6]*/
 {
-    if (self->flags & POF_EXT_TIMER) {
+    if (self->activeTimers) {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError,
                         "cannot disable profiler in external timer");
         return NULL;
@@ -957,7 +956,7 @@ static PyObject *
 _lsprof_Profiler_clear_impl(ProfilerObject *self)
 /*[clinic end generated code: output=dd1c668fb84b1335 input=4aab219d5d7a9bec]*/
 {
-    if (self->flags & POF_EXT_TIMER) {
+    if (self->activeTimers) {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError,
                         "cannot clear profiler in external timer");
         return NULL;
@@ -1003,6 +1002,7 @@ profiler_dealloc(PyObject *op)
 }
 
 /*[clinic input]
+@critical_section
 _lsprof.Profiler.__init__ as profiler_init
 
     timer: object(c_default='NULL') = None
@@ -1021,8 +1021,13 @@ is, in seconds).
 static int
 profiler_init_impl(ProfilerObject *self, PyObject *timer, double timeunit,
                    int subcalls, int builtins)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=ac523803ec9f9df2 input=8285ca746f96a414]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=ac523803ec9f9df2 input=5add5fc72beb63ba]*/
 {
+    if (self->activeTimers) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError,
+                        "cannot initialize profiler in external timer");
+        return -1;
+    }
     if (setSubcalls(self, subcalls) < 0 || setBuiltins(self, builtins) < 0) {
         return -1;
     }