CVE-2026-4546Public exploit

Local code execution via TextShaping.dll search-order hijacking

Published Mar 22, 2026 · Updated Mar 22, 2026

DLL search-order hijacking in flo's freeware Notepad2 4.2.25 allows local users to execute code via a planted TextShaping.dll. Notepad2 requests TextShaping.dll without a secure absolute path, causing Windows to load an attacker-controlled copy from a higher-priority directory. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and control of such a directory; the payload runs with the Notepad2 user's privileges.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

DLL search-order hijacking in flo's freeware Notepad2 4.2.25 allows local users to execute code via a planted TextShaping.dll. Notepad2 requests TextShaping.dll without a secure absolute path, causing Windows to load an attacker-controlled copy from a higher-priority directory. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and control of such a directory; the payload runs with the Notepad2 user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-4546
Published
Mar 22, 2026
Updated
Mar 22, 2026
Vendor
flo's freeware
Product
Notepad2
Classifications
CWE-426, CWE-427, T1574.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 22, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.2.25

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

flo's freeware · Notepad2version=4.2.25

Published CVSS scores

7.0VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3VulDBCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
6.0VulDBAV:L/AC:H/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-426Untrusted Search Path
CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.001Hijack Execution Flow: DLL

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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