Packet_edit_meme (CVE-2026-46331) page cache poisoning vulnerability
The page describes CVE-2026-46331, a vulnerability involving packet_edit_meme, which enables page cache poisoning attacks.
Background
- CVE-2026-46331 is a Linux kernel vulnerability that allows "page cache poisoning" via packet editing — meaning an attacker can corrupt cached file data at the OS level.
- The "page cache" is a kernel-managed pool of RAM that holds disk data (e.g., files, executables) for fast access; poisoning it can cause the system to serve altered versions of files without re-reading from disk.
- This repo documents a technique that exploits how the kernel handles network packets being edited mid-flight (e.g., by a firewall or proxy tool) to inject bogus content into that cache.
- Because the page cache sits below userspace, this kind of flaw can bypass normal file-integrity checks and affect any process reading the cached data.
- The CVE number (2026) indicates this is a newly disclosed vulnerability; details were likely kept under embargo until a fix or public release.