High severity · published Sep 22, 2026
CVE-2026-77605
Notepad++ “Run by system” executes *.txt.cmd when user selected *.txt (target confusion → command execution)
7.8
CVSS
0.2%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, the Folder as Workspace Run by system action in Notepad++ can resolve a different sibling file than the file selected by the user. When an attacker places a command script whose name is the selected text-file path with .cmd appended, and the user invokes Run by system on the text file on Windows 10 or Windows 11, Notepad++ can execute the sibling script as the current user instead of opening the selected file. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.2% · higher than 12% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
NO
notepad-plus-plus · notepad-plus-plus
< 8.9.8 · source: vendor
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-77605
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-77605
x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-w5xq-frjg-w4cw
x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/00fa5df0da1d4f6b334317aa979db13ac77ee24d
x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.8
x_refsource_MISC
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v898-released
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