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Bug #72229 Wrong reference when serialize/unserialize an object
Submitted: 2016-05-17 08:22 UTC Modified: -
From: email at rodrigo-supper dot de Assigned:
Status: Closed Package: *General Issues
PHP Version: 7.0.6 OS: Ubuntu 14.04; Windows 7; ...
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
 [2016-05-17 08:22 UTC] email at rodrigo-supper dot de
Description:
------------
The Bug concerns serialization of an object: in certain cases a "real" reference (with a '&' like &$x) is wrongly introduced.
In terms of the string as an output of the serialization: instead of an 'r:' an 'R:' is used.

Run the test script twice: first without the marked two lines (see code) and second with these two lines. 

What is expected:
In the sample code the $Obj1 shows the expected result. $Obj2 should also show this result.

What the actual result is:
With the two marked lines uncommented in code, $Obj2 shows a wrong result.
 
DESCRIPTION:
Without the two lines in the contructor all is correct. The produced string ($txt1) by serialization is:
    O:2:"C1":2:{s:4:"arr1";a:1:{i:0;r:1;}s:4:"arr2";a:1:{i:0;r:1;}}
Unserialization of this string creates an object ($Obj2) which is identical with the original object ($Obj1). This object "behaves" quite correct: after assigning the value '50' to its member arr2[0] the content of its member arr1[0] remains unchanged, i.e. it still holds a reference to the object itself ($Obj2). That's correct because in the constructor there is an assigning "by value", i.e. $this->arr2[0] does NOT refer to the array element $this->arr1[0].

With the two lines in the constructor the result is wrong. The produced string ($txt1) by serialization is:
    O:2:"C1":2:{s:4:"arr1";a:1:{i:0;R:1;}s:4:"arr2";a:1:{i:0;r:1;}}
Notice: the occurence of the first 'r:' in the middle of the string changed to 'R:' (from lower case to upper case letter!).
The two lines simply introduce a reference of a local variable to arr1[0] and remove (unset) it immediately after. Therefore the resulting object should be exactly the same as without these two lines. But the output string of the serialization now shows a "real" reference from arr2[0] to arr1[0]! The concequence of this bug is, that after unserialization (creation of an object from the serialized string) there is a "connection" (a real reference) from the member arr2[0] to the member arr1[0], which was not the case in the original object! Now changing the content of arr2[0] also (wrongly) changes the content of arr1[0].

It seems that this bug only occures when a recursion exists. The line '$this->arr1[0] = $this;' in the constructor introduces this recursion. This was done here in this simple way only for demonstration purpose.
The bug also occures when the recursion exists much more complicate/indirect (i.e. via a chain of many other objects) and also if it's done in any other method of the objects than the constructor. 
Because recursion is needed for this bug, as a concequence the reported bug only occures when an object is assigned to the member variable. The bug does not occure when simple values are assigned (because values can't form a recursion).

I consider this bug as very serious! Because PHP uses serialization for saving (session-)variables between script calls all objects containing a recursion will be wrong after repetitive script calls!


Test script:
---------------
<?php
class C1
{
    public $arr1 = array();
    public $arr2 = array();
    public function __construct()
    {
        $this->arr1[0] = $this;
        $this->arr2[0] = $this->arr1[0];
        // ***** Run the test without and with the following two lines:
        $var1 = &$this->arr1[0];  // Set a reference...
        unset($var1);             // ... and unset it. 
    }
}
echo '<pre>';
$Obj1 = new C1();
$txt1 = serialize($Obj1);
$Obj2 = unserialize($txt1);
$Obj1->arr2[0] = 50;
print_r($Obj1);
$Obj2->arr2[0] = 50;
print_r($Obj2);
echo '</pre>';
?>

Expected result:
----------------
C1 Object
(
    [arr1] => Array
        (
            [0] => C1 Object
 *RECURSION*
        )

    [arr2] => Array
        (
            [0] => 50
        )

)
C1 Object
(
    [arr1] => Array
        (
            [0] => C1 Object
 *RECURSION*
        )

    [arr2] => Array
        (
            [0] => 50
        )

)

Actual result:
--------------
C1 Object
(
    [arr1] => Array
        (
            [0] => C1 Object
 *RECURSION*
        )

    [arr2] => Array
        (
            [0] => 50
        )

)
C1 Object
(
    [arr1] => Array
        (
            [0] => 50
        )

    [arr2] => Array
        (
            [0] => 50
        )

)

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History

AllCommentsChangesGit/SVN commitsRelated reports
 [2016-05-17 09:40 UTC] laruence@php.net
Automatic comment on behalf of laruence@gmail.com
Revision: http://git.php.net/?p=php-src.git;a=commit;h=7989db975f325d83b461a46c3dc75a81fcc27795
Log: Fixed bug #72229 (Wrong reference when serialize/unserialize an object)
 [2016-05-17 09:40 UTC] laruence@php.net
-Status: Open +Status: Closed
 [2016-05-17 09:41 UTC] laruence@php.net
Automatic comment on behalf of laruence@gmail.com
Revision: http://git.php.net/?p=php-src.git;a=commit;h=7989db975f325d83b461a46c3dc75a81fcc27795
Log: Fixed bug #72229 (Wrong reference when serialize/unserialize an object)
 [2016-07-20 11:31 UTC] davey@php.net
Automatic comment on behalf of laruence@gmail.com
Revision: http://git.php.net/?p=php-src.git;a=commit;h=7989db975f325d83b461a46c3dc75a81fcc27795
Log: Fixed bug #72229 (Wrong reference when serialize/unserialize an object)
 
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