# Unsoundness in \`Pin\`

**URL:** <https://internals.rust-lang.org/t/unsoundness-in-pin/11311>\
**Category:** language design\
**Created:** [November 18, 2019, 12:12am UTC](https://internals.rust-lang.org/t/unsoundness-in-pin/11311 "2019-11-18T00:12:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 46

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**Author:** ![withoutboats](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/internals.rust-lang.org/withoutboats/32/4560_2.png) [@withoutboats](https://internals.rust-lang.org/u/withoutboats)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://internals.rust-lang.org/t/unsoundness-in-pin/11311/46 "2019-11-21T14:21:04Z")

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Just for reference, I've built a far reduced example of the unsoundness that does not use trait objects. It uses the shared ref implementing DerefMut unsoundness; the same principle should apply to the mutable ref implementing Clone unsoundness.

```rust
// A !Unpin type to reference
struct MyType<'a>(Cell<Option<&'a mut MyType<'a>>>, PhantomPinned);

impl<'a> DerefMut for &'a MyType<'a> {
    fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut MyType<'a> {
        self.0.replace(None).unwrap()
    }
}

fn main() {
    let mut unpinned = Box::new(MyType(Cell::new(None), PhantomPinned));
    let pinned = Box::pin(MyType(Cell::new(Some(&mut unpinned)),
                          PhantomPinned);
    let mut pinned_ref: Pin<&MyType<'_>> = pinned.as_ref();

    // call the unsound DerefMut impl
    let pinned_mut: Pin<&mut MyType<'_>> = pinned_ref.as_mut();
    
    // pinned_mut points to the address at `unpinned`, which
    // can be moved in the future. UNSOUND!
}

```

Here's a playpen: [https://play.rust-lang.org/?version=stable&mode=debug&edition=2018&gist=980b86aeb02c923e25937297e5018ef6](https://play.rust-lang.org/?version=stable&mode=debug&edition=2018&gist=980b86aeb02c923e25937297e5018ef6)

I don't think this has any persuasive bearing on the conversation, I just think it might be easier for people following along to understand what's happening with a short version.

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