CVE-2026-25926

Notepad++ has an Untrusted Search Path

HIGH
7.3
CVSS Score
Published: February 18, 2026 at 11:07 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 10:25 AM UTC
2 products affected across 1 vendorNotepad++Plus Plus Notepad

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Severity
HIGH7.3
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.3%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. An Unsafe Search Path vulnerability (CWE-426) exists in versions prior to 8.9.2 when launching Windows Explorer without an absolute executable path. This may allow execution of a malicious explorer.exe if an attacker can control the process working directory. Under certain conditions, this could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the running application. Version 8.9.2 patches the issue.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 8.9.2
Affected range stops below 8.9.2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (3)

x_refsource_MISCProductRelease Notes
Source: cverecord
https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.2
x_refsource_MISCPress/Media Coverage
Source: cverecord
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v892-released

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7.3HIGHGitHub_M
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-426

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