CVE-2026-52885Public exploit

Local command execution via stale in-memory shortcuts

Published Jun 26, 2026 · Updated Jun 26, 2026

TOCTOU in NppCommands.cpp in Notepad++ before 8.9.6.4 allows local users to execute commands via a swapped shortcuts.xml file. At command dispatch, the code validates the HMAC of the restored on-disk file but executes a UserCommand retained in the startup-populated _userCommands vector. Write access to shortcuts.xml before launch and restoration before command dispatch are required; the injected command runs with the current user's privileges.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

TOCTOU in NppCommands.cpp in Notepad++ before 8.9.6.4 allows local users to execute commands via a swapped shortcuts.xml file. At command dispatch, the code validates the HMAC of the restored on-disk file but executes a UserCommand retained in the startup-populated _userCommands vector. Write access to shortcuts.xml before launch and restoration before command dispatch are required; the injected command runs with the current user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-52885
Published
Jun 26, 2026
Updated
Jun 26, 2026
Vendor
Notepad++
Product
Notepad++
Classifications
CWE-367
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 26, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 26, 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=< 8.9.6.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Notepad++ · Notepad++version=< 8.9.6.4

Published CVSS scores

7.5GitHub, Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
6.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-367Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition

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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