CVE-2026-71858Notepad++: shortcuts.xml Macro HMAC Bypass Enables Conditional Elevated Command Execution
Updated under an hour ago ()
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It affects notepad-plus-plus. Add what you run to find out whether that includes you.
No exploitation reported and no EPSS estimate yet.
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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.
- CVSS
- 5.4 MEDIUM (v4.0, CNA)CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-78, CWE-345, CWE-693
- Known exploited
- Not in CISA's KEV catalog
- EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days)
- Not loaded for this CVE
- Assigned by
- GitHub_M
- NVD analysis
- Awaiting Analysis
- Record last updated
- Aug 17, 2026
- First seen by InfoSec Signals
- Oct 9, 2026
Affected products
notepad-plus-plus notepad-plus-plus notepad_plus_plus:notepad_plus_plus (from the name) | before 8.9.7 | CNA record |
References
- https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-f4rj-vqq4-wvg4x-refsource-confirm
- https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/7686e5a3025eaf1fb8e024c2ceb54670ea05f5fbx-refsource-misc
- https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.7x-refsource-misc
The CVE record on cve.org NVD's entry
The CVE record is authoritative. Products marked “from the name” were identified from the CNA's free-text names, not a CPE, and are matched less certainly. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.