host_details.nasl overutilizes memory

[korzorro]

Expected behavior

Scans utilize under the recommended 8 GB of RAM on Debian stable.

Actual behavior

100% of memory becomes utilized and scans get interrupted.

Steps to reproduce

1. Install GCC via docker compose https://greenbone.github.io/docs/latest/22.4/container/workflows.html
2. Configure a scan task on a real /24 network with reachable endpoints.

3. Run the scan and monitor memory utilization.

GVM versions

gsa: 26.7.0

gvm: 26.12.1

openvas: 23.34.0

gvm-libs: 23.34.1

openvas-smb: 22.5.10

Environment

Operating system:

Linux hostname 6.1.0-40-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.1.153-1 (2025-09-20) x86_64 GNU/Linux

PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="12"
VERSION="12 (bookworm)"
VERSION_CODENAME=bookworm
ID=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"

Installation method / source: (packages, source installation)

GCC Installation with Docker
https://greenbone.github.io/docs/latest/22.4/container/index.html

Logfiles

host_details.nasl using 2.04 GB on a single host

[cfi-gb]

It might worth to add that in https://forum.greenbone.net/t/running-host-details-nasl-earns-all-memory/21940 it is mentioned the issue started to occur after updating some GVM components.

As there hasn’t been any changes on VT / .nasl file side on e.g. host_details.nasl or underlying functions used by it since a few years i would assume there could be a regression introduced somewhere in the software stack.

[jjnicola]

Hi @korzorro ! thanks for reporting the issue. I was able to reproduce it and create a patch for fixing it. It should be merged soon.
Regards