CVE-2026-52885
6.3 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2026-52885 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting notepad-plus-plus notepad\+\+. It was published on June 26, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.6.4, NppCommands.cpp checks the HMAC of the on-disk shortcuts.xml at the moment a user command fires (Time-of-Check). However, the command payload is taken from the in-memory _userCommands vector, which is populated at application startup and never re-synchronized with the on-disk file (Time-of-Use). Swapping shortcuts.xml between startup and command execution causes the HMAC check to validate a clean file while a malicious command runs. An attacker with write access to shortcuts.xml places a malicious version on disk before launch, then immediately restores the legitimate file. The HMAC check at execution time validates the restored legitimate file (check passes), while the malicious payload executes from memory. This vulnerability is fixed in 8.9.6.4.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from notepad-plus-plus. Update notepad\+\+ to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| notepad-plus-plus | notepad\+\+ | >= 0, < 8.9.6.4 | Affected |
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-52885?
CVE-2026-52885 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting notepad-plus-plus notepad\+\+. It was published on June 26, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2026-52885?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-52885?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from notepad-plus-plus. Update notepad\+\+ to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-52885?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2026-52885 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
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