Child processes go defunct

[W. J. van der Laan]

I'm doing a verify of a fairly large remote backup and see this in the process list. It seems like the child gpg processes go defunct and are not properly cleaned up, and there's many of them.

root 7545 17.0 1.5 16116 12244 pts/4 S+ 10:37 52:41 \_ /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/duplicity verify -v4 --include-globbing-filelis
root 7592 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:38 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7625 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:39 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7632 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:39 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7637 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:39 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7644 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:39 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7651 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:39 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7659 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:40 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7684 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:40 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7691 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:41 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7698 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:41 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7707 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:41 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7714 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:41 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7736 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:42 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7743 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:42 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7752 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:42 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7763 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:42 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7770 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:42 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7777 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:43 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7782 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:43 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7787 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:43 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7796 0.0 0.1 4580 1472 pts/4 SL+ 10:43 0:02 \_ gpg --status-fd 98 --passphrase-fd 102 --logger-fd 95 --batch --no-t
root 7803 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:43 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7808 0.0 0.1 4580 1468 pts/4 SL+ 10:43 0:00 \_ gpg --status-fd 106 --passphrase-fd 110 --logger-fd 103 --batch --no
root 7815 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:44 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7820 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:44 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7825 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:44 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7836 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:44 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7843 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:44 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7850 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:44 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7870 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:45 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7877 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:45 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7884 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:45 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7893 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:45 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7903 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:46 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7911 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:46 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7920 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:46 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7929 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:46 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7938 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:47 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7945 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:47 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7952 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:47 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7961 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:47 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 7968 0.0 0.1 4580 1468 pts/4 SL+ 10:47 0:02 \_ gpg --status-fd 182 --passphrase-fd 186 --logger-fd 179 --batch --no
root 7991 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:48 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8001 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:48 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8008 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:48 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8034 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:49 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8043 0.0 0.1 4580 1468 pts/4 SL+ 10:49 0:04 \_ gpg --status-fd 206 --passphrase-fd 210 --logger-fd 203 --batch --no
root 8050 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:49 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8057 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:50 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8064 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:50 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8071 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:50 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8080 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:50 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8087 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:50 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8109 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:51 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8116 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:51 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8125 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:51 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8134 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:51 0:02 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8143 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:52 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8150 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:52 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8159 0.0 0.1 4580 1468 pts/4 SL+ 10:52 0:05 \_ gpg --status-fd 258 --passphrase-fd 262 --logger-fd 255 --batch --no
root 8168 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:52 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8177 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:53 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8186 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:53 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8197 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:53 0:06 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8236 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:54 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8245 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:54 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8254 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:55 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8263 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:55 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8272 0.0 0.1 4580 1468 pts/4 SL+ 10:55 0:05 \_ gpg --status-fd 298 --passphrase-fd 302 --logger-fd 295 --batch --no
root 8281 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:56 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8294 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:56 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8305 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:56 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8328 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:57 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8342 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:57 0:14 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8350 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:57 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8360 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:58 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8369 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:58 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8378 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:58 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8387 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:58 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8396 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:59 0:05 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8403 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:59 0:04 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8410 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:59 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8415 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:59 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8420 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:59 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8427 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 10:59 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8447 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:00 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8462 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:00 0:13 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8473 0.0 0.1 4580 1464 pts/4 SL+ 11:00 0:01 \_ gpg --status-fd 374 --passphrase-fd 378 --logger-fd 371 --batch --no
root 8480 0.0 0.1 4580 1468 pts/4 SL+ 11:01 0:01 \_ gpg --status-fd 378 --passphrase-fd 382 --logger-fd 375 --batch --no
root 8502 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:01 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8509 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:02 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8514 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:02 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8521 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:02 0:01 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8530 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:02 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8541 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:02 0:06 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8561 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:03 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 8569 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 11:03 0:00 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 12032 0.0 0.1 4580 1468 pts/4 SL+ 12:56 0:07 \_ gpg --status-fd 424 --passphrase-fd 432 --logger-fd 8 --batch --no-t
root 12211 0.1 0.1 4580 1472 pts/4 SL+ 13:02 0:09 \_ gpg --status-fd 280 --passphrase-fd 419 --logger-fd 6 --batch --no-t
root 12751 0.0 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 13:21 0:03 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 13871 0.1 0.0 0 0 pts/4 Z+ 13:57 0:08 \_ [gpg] <defunct>
root 17177 2.9 0.1 4784 1472 pts/0 Ss+ 15:45 0:00 \_ /usr/bin/sftp -oServerAliveInterval=15 -oServerAliveCountMax=2 orion
root 17178 6.0 0.4 6280 3472 pts/0 S+ 15:45 0:01 \_ /usr/bin/ssh -oForwardX11 no -oForwardAgent no -oPermitLocalComm

Duplicity version: 0.6.13
Python version: 2.5.2
OS distro and version: Ubuntu 8.04 LTS
Type of filesystem: reiserfs