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CVE-2026-85288

MEDIUMCVSS 6.7/10EPSS 0.12%

Last modified

CVE-2026-85288 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.7/10 on the CVSS scale. Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, Notepad++ incompletely enforces shortcuts.xml HMAC validation because WM_MACRODLGRUNMACRO, the Run a Macro Multiple Times entry point, calls macroPlayback() without the validation used by command(). EPSS estimates a 0.12% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, Notepad++ incompletely enforces shortcuts.xml HMAC validation because WM_MACRODLGRUNMACRO, the Run a Macro Multiple Times entry point, calls macroPlayback() without the validation used by command(). A tampered shortcuts.xml macro that is blocked through the Macro menu or a shortcut key can therefore execute through the multi-run dialog and invoke internal Notepad++ commands, including commands that launch external programs, in the current user context. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1
6.7/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability
0.12%

1.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Source: CNA advisory (CVE.org). NVD analysis pending.

VendorProductVersions
notepad-plus-plusnotepad-plus-plus< 8.9.8

References

Timeline

Published
Last Modified
Status
Awaiting Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-85288?
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, Notepad++ incompletely enforces shortcuts.xml HMAC validation because WM_MACRODLGRUNMACRO, the Run a Macro Multiple Times entry point, calls macroPlayback() without the validation used by command(). A tampered shortcuts.xml macro that is blocked through the Macro menu or a shortcut key can therefore execute through the multi-run dialog and invoke internal Notepad++ commands, including commands that launch external programs, in the current user context. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.
How severe is CVE-2026-85288?
CVE-2026-85288 has a CVSS score of 6.7/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.12% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-85288?
Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

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Source: NVD / NIST