CVE-2026-25926 HIGH

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

Vendor Notepad-Plus-Plus
Product notepad-plus-plus
Weakness CWE-426
Published February 18, 2026
Last update February 19, 2026

CVSS base score

7.3/10
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required Low
User interaction Required
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What the vulnerability does

01Description

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.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

February 18, 2026 CVE published
February 19, 2026 Record updated