# CVE-2026-25926: Notepad++ has an Untrusted Search Path

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by placing a malicious executable in the working directory when Notepad++ launches Windows Explorer.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rjvm-fcxw-2jxq

## What is CVE-2026-25926?

CVE-2026-25926 is a high-severity vulnerability in notepad-plus-plus, published on 18 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

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 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.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-25926?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Notepad-Plus-Plus Notepad\+\+.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-25926?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-25926 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-25926 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-25926 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in notepad-plus-plus

- [CVE-2025-15556](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-15556/): Notepad++ Download of Code Without Integrity Check (high 7.7, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-48778](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48778/): Notepad++: Arbitrary Code Execution via config.xml commandLineInterpreter (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-48800](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48800/): Notepad++: Arbitrary Code Execution via shortcuts.xml UserCommand Injection (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-52884](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-52884/): Notepad++: CVE-2026-48800 Bypass (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-47452](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-47452/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-25926 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-25926 is a high-severity vulnerability in notepad-plus-plus, published on 18 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-25926 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: notepad-plus-plus. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25926/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25926/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-25926
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-25926
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-25926

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25926/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.