CVE-2026-71858 Notepad++: shortcuts.xml Macro HMAC Bypass Enables Conditional Elevated Command Execution
Attackers can bypass HMAC validation in shortcuts.xml to execute elevated commands and modify protected files in Notepad++.
- 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
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-71858?
CVE-2026-71858 is a medium-severity vulnerability in notepad-plus-plus, published on 17 Aug 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. 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.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-71858?
How do I fix CVE-2026-71858?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-71858 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2026-71858 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-71858 exists.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-f4rj-vqq4-wvg4.