# CVE-2026-73250: Notepad++: Install-time PowerShell command injection through installation path

> Attackers can execute arbitrary PowerShell commands during Notepad++ installation if a malicious path is used and the context menu component is selected.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** 11 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 13 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gp2r-262h-9hgf

## What is CVE-2026-73250?

CVE-2026-73250 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in notepad-plus-plus, published on 11 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, the Notepad++ Windows 11 x64 and ARM64 installer passes the attacker-influenced installation directory `$INSTDIR` from PowerEditor/installer/nppSetup.nsi into a PowerShell `-Command` string used by RegisterMSIX to invoke Add-AppxPackage, allowing PowerShell subexpression syntax such as `$()` in the installation path to execute commands in the installer's security context when the context menu component is selected. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.7.

Weakness: CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-73250?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-73250?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-73250 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-73250 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-73250 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-73250 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-73250 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in notepad-plus-plus, published on 11 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-73250 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-2026-73250/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73250/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-73250
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73250
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-73250

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73250/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.