Why Does My C Process Receive SIGABRT (Signal 6)?

When Does a Process Receive SIGABRT (Signal 6)?

In C , a process receives the SIGABRT (signal 6) when the abort() function is called. This function is typically invoked by library functions that detect an internal error or a severely violated constraint.

Origins of SIGABRT

SIGABRT can only be generated from within the process itself. It cannot be sent from one process to another.

Identifiable Sources of the Signal

Unfortunately, there is no way to directly determine which process is sending the signal within the receiving process. However, examining the call stack at the time of the SIGABRT can provide insights into the potential sources.

Mechanisms of abort()

When abort() is called, it does several things:

• Prints an error message to stderr.
• Dumps information about the program's runtime state, including the current stack trace.
• Sends the SIGABRT signal to the calling process.

Common Causes of SIGABRT

Some common scenarios that trigger SIGABRT include:

• Heap buffer overflow (detected by malloc()'s internal checks)
• Other internal errors in library functions
• Corruption of internal data structures
• Runtime assertion failures

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