Vulnerability Intelligence Report
Notepad++: Arbitrary Code Execution via config.xml commandLineInterpreter
CVE-2026-48778
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.6.1, the <GUIConfig name="commandLineInterpreter"> tag in config.xml is read by NppXml::value() (Parameters.cpp:6430) and stored in _nppGUI._commandLineInterpreter without any validation, whitelist, or digital signature check. When the user triggers IDM_FILE_OPEN_CMD (File → Open Containing Folder → cmd), NppCommands.cpp:228 creates a Command object with this value and calls run(), which invokes ShellExecute (RunDlg.cpp:221) with the attacker-controlled string as the executable path. This vulnerability is fixed in 8.9.6.1.
No Active Exploit Signals
CVSS Base Score
7.8
HIGH
Exploitability:1.9
Impact Score:5.9
EPSS Probability:1.37%
Executive Threat Verdict
Evaluating...
Evaluating Threat Landscape...
Assessing known weaponization, exploitation telemetry, and federal advisories.
Attack Surface
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Authentication
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Weaponization
—
SSVC Action
—
Weaknesses (CWE)
CWE-78 ↗CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Affected Products & Versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected Versions |
|---|---|---|
| notepad-plus-plus | notepad-plus-plus | < 8.9.6.1 (affected) |
Threat Intelligence Signals
EPSS Score
1.369%
Identity & Timeline
| Status | PUBLISHED |
| Assigning Authority | GitHub, Inc. · Vendor · USA |
| Reserved | 2026-05-22T20:18:20 |
| Published | 2026-06-26T20:21:17 |
| Last Updated | 2026-06-29T13:11:06 |
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