Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-25926

LPE in Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+ ≤ 8.9.2

Public PoCLPE
Published
19 February 2026
Modified
19 February 2026
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.3
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0025 16th percentile
Risk Priority 52 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-25926 is a high-severity Untrusted Search Path (CWE-426) vulnerability in Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+. Its CVSS base score is 7.3 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked at the 16th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to CM-6 (Configuration Settings) and CM-7 (Least Functionality) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2026-25926 is an Unsafe Search Path vulnerability (CWE-426) affecting Notepad++, a free and open-source source code editor for Windows. The issue exists in versions prior to 8.9.2 and arises when the application launches Windows Explorer without specifying an absolute executable path. This flaw allows a malicious explorer.exe to be executed if an attacker controls the process working directory, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution in the context of the running Notepad++ application. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.3 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high impact with local access required.

A local attacker with low privileges can exploit this vulnerability by placing a malicious explorer.exe in a controllable working directory, such as through social engineering or by influencing the application's current directory. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as the victim launching a specific feature in Notepad++ that triggers the Explorer launch. Successful exploitation enables arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the Notepad++ process, potentially compromising the user's session.

The Notepad++ security advisory (GHSA-rjvm-fcxw-2jxq) and release notes for version 8.9.2 confirm that updating to v8.9.2 resolves the issue by addressing the unsafe path handling. Security practitioners should recommend immediate upgrades for affected installations, as detailed in the GitHub release (v8.9.2) and official news announcement.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A08:2025 Software or Data Integrity Failures

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

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…

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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.

CWE(s)
CWE-426

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1034 Path Interception Persistence
**This technique has been deprecated.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574 Hijack Execution Flow Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the way operating systems run programs.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.001 DLL Stealth
Adversaries may abuse dynamic-link library files (DLLs) in order to achieve persistence, escalate privileges, and evade defenses.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.008 Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the search order used to load other programs.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.007 Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking environment variables used to load libraries.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.009 Path Interception by Unquoted Path Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking vulnerable file path references.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2026-46710Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2023-47452Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2023-6401Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2026-52885Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2023-40036Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2023-40031Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2025-15556Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2026-48800Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2026-6539Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+
CVE-2023-40166Same product: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+

Affected Assets

notepad-plus-plus
notepad\+\+
≤ 8.9.2

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

CM-6 Configuration Settings good match

Secure baseline settings can enforce absolute, organization-controlled paths for critical resources.

CM-7 Least Functionality partial match

Least-functionality configuration can prohibit unapproved directories or executables from being reachable via search paths.

SA-8 Security and Privacy Engineering Principles partial match

Engineering principles such as trusted paths, complete mediation, and least privilege directly require hard-coded or validated search paths instead of external ones.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-05 full match
prevents

Preventing execution of unauthorized code directly blocks the malicious binaries that an untrusted search path would load.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices include avoiding or sanitizing externally influenced search paths in application code.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

Hardened configuration baselines can enforce safe search paths and restrict environment variables that enable the weakness.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing can discover search-path issues but does not itself prevent them in production code.

A.8.19 Installation of software on operational systems partial match
degrades

Restricting software installation reduces the chance that untrusted binaries or libraries are placed in search paths.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles include hard-coded or validated search paths and avoiding reliance on untrusted directories.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards require absolute paths or integrity-checked search paths, directly mitigating CWE-426.

A.8.32 Change management none match
none

Change-management processes can enforce review of path-handling changes, indirectly lowering risk.

References