CVE-2026-71858

Notepad++: shortcuts.xml Macro HMAC Bypass Enables Conditional Elevated Command Execution

MEDIUM
5.4
CVSS Score
Published: August 17, 2026 at 08:08 PM UTC
Updated: September 9, 2026 at 09:27 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorPlus Plus Notepad

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Severity
MEDIUM5.4
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%
SSVC
PoC

Description

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.7, macros loaded from an attacker-controlled shortcuts.xml bypass the HMAC validation applied to UserDefinedCommands and can invoke Scintilla actions and the internal Open in Default Viewer command in an elevated Notepad++ process, allowing protected file modification and conditional elevated command execution when a local attacker influences settingsDir and a user triggers the macro. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.7.

Affected

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

v < 8.9.7
Affected range stops below 8.9.7, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCPoCNot automatableTotal impact

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

CVSS

5.4MEDIUMGitHub_M
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusAWAITING ANALYSIS
CWE
CWE-78CWE-345CWE-693

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