EXTERNAL: OSError: [Errno 48] Address already in use

[Marko Rauhamaa]

Gregory Ewing <greg.ewing at canterbury.ac.nz>:

> Dan Stromberg wrote:
>> On Thu, Jun 28, 2018 at 10:30 PM, Marko Rauhamaa <marko at pacujo.net> wrote:
>>
>>>Well, the same security issue can be demonstrated without
>>>SO_REUSEADDR:
>>>
>>>The security issue can be real but is not directly related with
>>>SO_REUSEADDR.
>>
>> Yes, it can.  It just takes longer.
>
> I don't see how the address-reuse timeout can be a security measure,
> because the process trying to take over the address can easily
> circumvent it by setting SO_REUSEADDR.

The address reuse timeout (TIME WAIT) is only used to deal with
"Byzantine generals" loophole in the TCP protocol. Its purpose is to
guarantee that both peers end up with a common understanding of the
final state of the connection.

Nevertheless, the later socket object cannot unilaterally take over a
socket using SO_REUSEADDR. The earlier socket object must have set the
same option previously.


Marko