ShellCodeX Intelligence Brief
CRITICAL
Vulnerabilities
Linux “pedit COW” (CVE-2026-46331) enables local root via act_pedit cache corruption
Source headline: New Linux pedit COW Exploit Enables Root Access by Poisoning Cached Binaries
Threat level
Critical
Signal strength
85/100
Source confidence
1 source
Published
2 hours ago
Intelligence Summary
A Linux kernel traffic-control bug tracked as CVE-2026-46331 allows an unprivileged local user to obtain root privileges. The flaw is an out-of-bounds write in the act_pedit packet-editing action that corrupts shared page-cache memory. A public, working exploit reportedly appeared quickly after the CVE assignment. Systems running affected kernel versions are at risk of privilege escalation from local access. Users should check for vendor patches and upgrade kernels where fixes are available.
Recommended Action
Prioritize immediate review, validate exposure, and patch or mitigate affected systems.
Topics
Original reporting
The Hacker News
New Linux pedit COW Exploit Enables Root Access by Poisoning Cached Binaries
Open original source