I got a Venus crash, too, doing unpacking of Linux kernel source.

bismarck:~> sudo gdb /usr/sbin/venus 25004
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This GDB was configured as "i386-linux"...(no debugging symbols found)...
Attaching to program: /usr/sbin/venus, process 25004
Reading symbols from /usr/lib/librdslwp.so.1...done.
Loaded symbols for /usr/lib/librdslwp.so.1
Reading symbols from /usr/lib/libseg.so.1...done.
Loaded symbols for /usr/lib/libseg.so.1
Reading symbols from /usr/lib/librvmlwp.so.1...done.
Loaded symbols for /usr/lib/librvmlwp.so.1
Reading symbols from /usr/lib/librpc2.so.4...done.
Loaded symbols for /usr/lib/librpc2.so.4
Reading symbols from /usr/lib/libse.so.4...done.
Loaded symbols for /usr/lib/libse.so.4
Reading symbols from /usr/lib/liblwp.so.2...done.
Loaded symbols for /usr/lib/liblwp.so.2
Reading symbols from /lib/libresolv.so.2...done.
Loaded symbols for /lib/libresolv.so.2
Reading symbols from /usr/lib/libstdc++-libc6.2-2.so.3...done.
Loaded symbols for /usr/lib/libstdc++-libc6.2-2.so.3
Reading symbols from /lib/libm.so.6...done.
Loaded symbols for /lib/libm.so.6
Reading symbols from /lib/libc.so.6...done.
Loaded symbols for /lib/libc.so.6
Reading symbols from /lib/ld-linux.so.2...done.
Loaded symbols for /lib/ld-linux.so.2
Reading symbols from /lib/libnss_files.so.2...done.
Loaded symbols for /lib/libnss_files.so.2
Reading symbols from /lib/libnss_dns.so.2...done.
Loaded symbols for /lib/libnss_dns.so.2
0x401c33c4 in read () from /lib/libc.so.6
(gdb) where
#0  0x401c33c4 in read () from /lib/libc.so.6
#1  0x40217e48 in __check_rhosts_file () from /lib/libc.so.6
#2  0x4016a03b in _IO_file_underflow () from /lib/libc.so.6
#3  0x4016b216 in __underflow () from /lib/libc.so.6
#4  0x4016aa4a in _IO_file_xsputn () from /lib/libc.so.6
#5  0x4016b538 in _IO_sgetn () from /lib/libc.so.6
#6  0x40161b8b in fread () from /lib/libc.so.6
#7  0x0809bc9e in strcpy ()
#8  0x0809b855 in strcpy ()
#9  0x0809b2d7 in strcpy ()
#10 0x0809a998 in strcpy ()
#11 0x08092ab6 in strcpy ()
#12 0x080925fd in strcpy ()
#13 0x080a4987 in strcpy ()
#14 0x080a4212 in strcpy ()
#15 0x4008109f in Create_Process_Part2 () at lwp.c:796
(gdb) quit
A debugging session is active.
Do you still want to close the debugger?(y or n) y
Detaching from program: /usr/sbin/venus, process 25004
bismarck:~>