CVE-2026-85288 (GCVE-0-2026-85288)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-09-22 17:11 – Updated: 2026-09-22 17:11
VLAI
Title
Notepad++: Shortcuts.xml macro HMAC bypass still reachable via the "Run a Macro Multiple Times" dialog
Summary
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.
Severity
6.7 (Medium)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE
  • CWE-78 - Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
  • CWE-345 - Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
  • CWE-693 - Protection Mechanism Failure
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
notepad-plus-plus notepad-plus-plus Affected: < 8.9.8
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "notepad-plus-plus",
          "vendor": "notepad-plus-plus",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003c 8.9.8"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "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": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
            "attackVector": "LOCAL",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 6.7,
            "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
            "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          }
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-78",
              "description": "CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command (\u0027OS Command Injection\u0027)",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-345",
              "description": "CWE-345: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-693",
              "description": "CWE-693: Protection Mechanism Failure",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-09-22T17:11:47.937Z",
        "orgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
        "shortName": "GitHub_M"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-759j-g8j4-867p",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-759j-g8j4-867p"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/4cd74cb9347b9c6caaab17d999e24fc9ed228ff7",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/4cd74cb9347b9c6caaab17d999e24fc9ed228ff7"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.8",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.8"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v898-released",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v898-released"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "advisory": "GHSA-759j-g8j4-867p",
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "Notepad++: Shortcuts.xml macro HMAC bypass still reachable via the \"Run a Macro Multiple Times\" dialog"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
    "assignerShortName": "GitHub_M",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-85288",
    "datePublished": "2026-09-22T17:11:47.937Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-09-03T16:37:49.262Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-09-22T17:11:47.937Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-85288",
      "date": "2026-09-23",
      "epss": "0.00121",
      "percentile": "0.0219"
    },
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "affected": [
          {
            "affectedData": [
              {
                "product": "notepad-plus-plus",
                "vendor": "notepad-plus-plus",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "\u003c 8.9.8"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ],
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com"
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "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."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2026-85288",
        "lastModified": "2026-09-23T18:28:25.093",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
                "attackVector": "LOCAL",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 6.7,
                "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
                "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
                "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 0.8,
              "impactScore": 5.9,
              "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
              "type": "Secondary"
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2026-09-22T18:17:23.373",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "url": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/4cd74cb9347b9c6caaab17d999e24fc9ed228ff7"
          },
          {
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "url": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.8"
          },
          {
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "url": "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-759j-g8j4-867p"
          },
          {
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "url": "https://notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v898-released"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "security-advisories@github.com",
        "vulnStatus": "Awaiting Analysis",
        "weaknesses": [
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-78"
              },
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-345"
              },
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-693"
              }
            ],
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "type": "Primary"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.





Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.



Related by attack behaviour

Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.