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.
Published: 2026-08-17
Score: 5.4 Medium
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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History

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 20:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
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.
Title Notepad++: shortcuts.xml Macro HMAC Bypass Enables Conditional Elevated Command Execution
Weaknesses CWE-345
CWE-693
CWE-78
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 5.4, 'vector': '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'}

Subscriptions

No data.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-17T20:26:38.601Z

Reserved: 2026-08-07T18:26:53.523Z

Link: CVE-2026-71858

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-08-17T20:26:30.359Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-17T20:16:46.207

Modified: 2026-08-17T21:16:48.420

Link: CVE-2026-71858

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses
  • CWE-345

    Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity

  • CWE-693

    Protection Mechanism Failure

  • CWE-78

    Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')