Right now I have this bug repeatable, so I am not making changes to my system in case someone wants deeper debugging info, but I did trap it in GDB and here are the results: # gdb aptitude update GNU gdb (GDB) 7.1-ubuntu Copyright (C) 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Type "show copying" and "show warranty" for details. This GDB was configured as "i486-linux-gnu". For bug reporting instructions, please see: ... Reading symbols from /usr/bin/aptitude...Reading symbols from /usr/lib/debug/usr/bin/aptitude...done. done. /home/auser/update: No such file or directory. (gdb) run update Starting program: /usr/bin/aptitude update [Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled] [New Thread 0xb69fdb70 (LWP 12574)] Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release.gpg Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Translation-en_US Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/restricted Translation-en_US Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release.gpg Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/universe Translation-en_US Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/multiverse Translation-en_US Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/restricted Translation-en_US Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/universe Translation-en_US Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/multiverse Translation-en_US Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release.gpg Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Translation-en_US Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/restricted Translation-en_US Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/universe Translation-en_US Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Sources Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Sources Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Packages Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Packages Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Sources Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Sources Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Sources Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Sources Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Sources Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Sources Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Packages Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Sources Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Sources Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Sources Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Packages Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Sources *** glibc detected *** /usr/bin/aptitude: double free or corruption (!prev): 0x0841e218 *** ======= Backtrace: ========= /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(+0x6b581)[0x691581] /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(+0x6cdd8)[0x692dd8] /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(cfree+0x6d)[0x695ebd] /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6(_ZdlPv+0x21)[0x5a6741] /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6(_ZdaPv+0x1d)[0x5a679d] /usr/bin/aptitude[0x81693bf] /usr/bin/aptitude[0x81872dd] /usr/bin/aptitude[0x818490e] /usr/bin/aptitude[0x81492a0] /usr/bin/aptitude[0x8144ea1] /usr/bin/aptitude[0x805efce] /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xe6)[0x63cbd6] /usr/bin/aptitude[0x805c6a1] ======= Memory map: ======== 00110000-0012b000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490371 /lib/ld-2.11.1.so 0012b000-0012c000 r--p 0001a000 08:01 2490371 /lib/ld-2.11.1.so 0012c000-0012d000 rw-p 0001b000 08:01 2490371 /lib/ld-2.11.1.so 0012d000-0012e000 r-xp 00000000 00:00 0 [vdso] 0012e000-001f5000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 400287 /usr/lib/libapt-pkg-libc6.10-6.so.4.8.0 001f5000-001f7000 r--p 000c7000 08:01 400287 /usr/lib/libapt-pkg-libc6.10-6.so.4.8.0 001f7000-001f8000 rw-p 000c9000 08:01 400287 /usr/lib/libapt-pkg-libc6.10-6.so.4.8.0 001f8000-00238000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490472 /lib/libncursesw.so.5.7 00238000-0023a000 r--p 00040000 08:01 2490472 /lib/libncursesw.so.5.7 0023a000-0023b000 rw-p 00042000 08:01 2490472 /lib/libncursesw.so.5.7 0023b000-00240000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 396881 /usr/lib/libsigc-2.0.so.0.0.0 00240000-00241000 r--p 00004000 08:01 396881 /usr/lib/libsigc-2.0.so.0.0.0 00241000-00242000 rw-p 00005000 08:01 396881 /usr/lib/libsigc-2.0.so.0.0.0 00242000-002fb000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 396231 /usr/lib/libcwidget.so.3.0.0 002fb000-002fc000 ---p 000b9000 08:01 396231 /usr/lib/libcwidget.so.3.0.0 002fc000-002ff000 r--p 000b9000 08:01 396231 /usr/lib/libcwidget.so.3.0.0 002ff000-00300000 rw-p 000bc000 08:01 396231 /usr/lib/libcwidget.so.3.0.0 00300000-0036f000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 396296 /usr/lib/libept.so.0.5.30 0036f000-00370000 r--p 0006f000 08:01 396296 /usr/lib/libept.so.0.5.30 00370000-00371000 rw-p 00070000 08:01 396296 /usr/lib/libept.so.0.5.30 00371000-004b9000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 397009 /usr/lib/libxapian.so.15.6.9 004b9000-004bc000 r--p 00147000 08:01 397009 /usr/lib/libxapian.so.15.6.9 004bc000-004bd000 rw-p 0014a000 08:01 397009 /usr/lib/libxapian.so.15.6.9 004bd000-004d0000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490566 /lib/libz.so.1.2.3.3 004d0000-004d1000 r--p 00012000 08:01 2490566 /lib/libz.so.1.2.3.3 004d1000-004d2000 rw-p 00013000 08:01 2490566 /lib/libz.so.1.2.3.3 004d2000-004e7000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490525 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread-2.11.1.so 004e7000-004e8000 r--p 00014000 08:01 2490525 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread-2.11.1.so 004e8000-004e9000 rw-p 00015000 08:01 2490525 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread-2.11.1.so 004e9000-004eb000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 004eb000-005d4000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 393601 /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6.0.13 005d4000-005d5000 ---p 000e9000 08:01 393601 /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6.0.13 005d5000-005d9000 r--p 000e9000 08:01 393601 /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6.0.13 005d9000-005da000 rw-p 000ed000 08:01 393601 /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6.0.13 005da000-005e1000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 005e1000-00605000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490466 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libm-2.11.1.so 00605000-00606000 r--p 00023000 08:01 2490466 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libm-2.11.1.so 00606000-00607000 rw-p 00024000 08:01 2490466 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libm-2.11.1.so 00607000-00624000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2494304 /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 00624000-00625000 r--p 0001c000 08:01 2494304 /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 00625000-00626000 rw-p 0001d000 08:01 2494304 /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 00626000-00779000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490417 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.11.1.so 00779000-0077a000 ---p 00153000 08:01 2490417 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.11.1.so 0077a000-0077c000 r--p 00153000 08:01 2490417 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.11.1.so 0077c000-0077d000 rw-p 00155000 08:01 2490417 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.11.1.so 0077d000-00780000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 00780000-00782000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490557 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libutil-2.11.1.so 00782000-00783000 r--p 00001000 08:01 2490557 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libutil-2.11.1.so 00783000-00784000 rw-p 00002000 08:01 2490557 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libutil-2.11.1.so 00784000-00786000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490431 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libdl-2.11.1.so 00786000-00787000 r--p 00001000 08:01 2490431 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libdl-2.11.1.so 00787000-00788000 rw-p 00002000 08:01 2490431 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libdl-2.11.1.so 00788000-0078e000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490479 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_compat-2.11.1.so 0078e000-0078f000 r--p 00006000 08:01 2490479 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_compat-2.11.1.so 0078f000-00790000 rw-p 00007000 08:01 2490479 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_compat-2.11.1.so 00790000-007a3000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490477 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnsl-2.11.1.so 007a3000-007a4000 r--p 00012000 08:01 2490477 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnsl-2.11.1.so 007a4000-007a5000 rw-p 00013000 08:01 2490477 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnsl-2.11.1.so 007a5000-007a7000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 007a7000-007af000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490493 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_nis-2.11.1.so 007af000-007b0000 r--p 00007000 08:01 2490493 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_nis-2.11.1.so 007b0000-007b1000 rw-p 00008000 08:01 2490493 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_nis-2.11.1.so 007b1000-007bb000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 2490483 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_files-2.11.1.so 007bb000-007bc000 r--p 00009000 08:01 2490483 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_files-2.11.1.so 007bc000-007bd000 rw-p 0000a000 08:01 2490483 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libnss_files-2.11.1.so 08048000-08251000 r-xp 00000000 08:01 393267 /usr/bin/aptitude 08251000-08252000 r--p 00208000 08:01 393267 /usr/bin/aptitude 08252000-08253000 rw-p 00209000 08:01 393267 /usr/bin/aptitude 08253000-08460000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 [heap] b6000000-b6021000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 b6021000-b6100000 ---p 00000000 00:00 0 b61fd000-b61fe000 ---p 00000000 00:00 0 b61fe000-b6ae5000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 b6bc8000-b71b8000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 b71b8000-b7e81000 rw-p 00000000 08:01 1572967 /var/cache/apt/pkgcache.bin b7e81000-b7ec0000 r--p 00000000 08:01 400956 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_CTYPE b7ec0000-b7fde000 r--p 00000000 08:01 400955 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_COLLATE b7fde000-b7fe3000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 b7fec000-b7fed000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0 b7fed000-b7fee000 r--p 00000000 08:01 400961 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_NUMERIC b7fee000-b7fef000 r--p 00000000 08:01 403522 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_TIME b7fef000-b7ff0000 r--p 00000000 08:01 403523 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_MONETARY b7ff0000-b7ff1000 r--p 00000000 08:01 403524 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_MESSAGES/SYS_LC_MESSAGES b7ff1000-b7ff2000 r--p 00000000 08:01 400832 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_PAPER b7ff2000-b7ff3000 r--p 00000000 08:01 400895 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_NAME b7ff3000-b7ff4000 r--p 00000000 08:01 403525 /usr/lib/locale/en_US.utf8/LC_ADDRESS Program received signal SIGABRT, Aborted. 0x0012d422 in __kernel_vsyscall () (gdb) bt #0 0x0012d422 in __kernel_vsyscall () #1 0x00650641 in *__GI_raise (sig=6) at ../nptl/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/raise.c:64 #2 0x00653a72 in *__GI_abort () at abort.c:92 #3 0x0068748d in __libc_message (do_abort=2, fmt=0x75bef8 "*** glibc detected *** %s: %s: 0x%s ***\n") at ../sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/libc_fatal.c:189 #4 0x00691581 in malloc_printerr (action=, str=0x6
, ptr=0x841e218) at malloc.c:6264 #5 0x00692dd8 in _int_free (av=, p=) at malloc.c:4792 #6 0x00695ebd in *__GI___libc_free (mem=0x841e218) at malloc.c:3738 #7 0x005a6741 in operator delete(void*) () from /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6 #8 0x005a679d in operator delete[](void*) () from /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6 #9 0x081693bf in ~AcqTextStatus (this=0x841e1d8, __in_chrg=) at acqprogress.cc:42 #10 0x081872dd in sigc::internal::signal_emit1::emit (this=0x841e138) at /usr/include/sigc++-2.0/sigc++/signal.h:1010 #11 sigc::signal1::emit (this=0x841e138) at /usr/include/sigc++-2.0/sigc++/signal.h:2777 #12 sigc::signal1::operator() ( this=0x841e138) at /usr/include/sigc++-2.0/sigc++/signal.h:2785 #13 download_signal_log::Complete (this=0x841e138) at download_signal_log.cc:133 #14 0x0818490e in download_update_manager::finish (this=0xbffff4c4, res=pkgAcquire::Continue, progress=...) at download_update_manager.cc:275 #15 0x081492a0 in cmdline_do_download (m=0xbffff4c4, verbose=0) at cmdline_util.cc:404 #16 0x08144ea1 in cmdline_update (argc=1, argv=0xbffff838, verbose=0) at cmdline_update.cc:54 #17 0x0805efce in main (argc=2, argv=0xbffff834) at main.cc:596 (gdb)