[Bug 2025098] [NEW] man page for limits.conf (part of libpam-modules) incorrectly describes core dump settings

[Earl Ruby]

Public bug reported:

`man limits.conf` reports that the "core" setting "limits the core file
size (KB)".

However, if I set the size to 32000000:

# Limit the size of core dumps (32GB = 32000000KB)
* soft core 32000000
* hard core 32000000

Then reboot and check the size with ulimit:

$ ulimit -a | grep core
core file size              (blocks, -c) 32000000

ulimit reports that the setting is in 512-byte blocks, not 1024-byte
KBs. In other words, according to ulimit, rather than getting 32GB I'm
getting 16GB.

Is the man page correct and the setting is in KB or is ulimit correct in
reporting the setting in blocks? One of them is wrong.

----------------------

FWIW, I tried to report this as an issue with the libpam-modules package
because dpkg says that's the package limits.conf is shipped with:

$ dpkg -S /etc/security/limits.conf
libpam-modules:amd64: /etc/security/limits.conf

However, when I tried to do that Launchpad responded:

"libpam-modules" does not exist in Ubuntu. Please choose a different
package. If you're unsure, please select "I don't know"

** Affects: pam (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: libpam-modules limits.conf manpage ulimit

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2025098

Title:
  man page for limits.conf (part of libpam-modules) incorrectly
  describes core dump settings

Status in pam package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  `man limits.conf` reports that the "core" setting "limits the core
  file size (KB)".

  However, if I set the size to 32000000:

  # Limit the size of core dumps (32GB = 32000000KB)
  * soft core 32000000
  * hard core 32000000

  Then reboot and check the size with ulimit:

  $ ulimit -a | grep core
  core file size              (blocks, -c) 32000000

  ulimit reports that the setting is in 512-byte blocks, not 1024-byte
  KBs. In other words, according to ulimit, rather than getting 32GB I'm
  getting 16GB.

  Is the man page correct and the setting is in KB or is ulimit correct
  in reporting the setting in blocks? One of them is wrong.

  ----------------------

  FWIW, I tried to report this as an issue with the libpam-modules
  package because dpkg says that's the package limits.conf is shipped
  with:

  $ dpkg -S /etc/security/limits.conf
  libpam-modules:amd64: /etc/security/limits.conf

  However, when I tried to do that Launchpad responded:

  "libpam-modules" does not exist in Ubuntu. Please choose a different
  package. If you're unsure, please select "I don't know"

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