CVE-2025-49144

Summary

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. In versions 8.8.1 and prior, a privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Notepad++ v8.8.1 installer that allows unprivileged users to gain SYSTEM-level privileges through insecure executable search paths. An attacker could use social engineering or clickjacking to trick users into downloading both the legitimate installer and a malicious executable to the same directory (typically Downloads folder - which is known as Vulnerable directory). Upon running the installer, the attack executes automatically with SYSTEM privileges. This issue has been fixed and will be released in version 8.8.2.

Affected Software

Weaknesses

• CWE-272: CWE-272: Least Privilege Violation
• CWE-276: CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions
• CWE-427: CWE-427: Uncontrolled Search Path Element

ADP Enrichment

CISA ADP Vulnrichment

• SSVC:
• Exploitation: none
  • Automatable: no
  • Technical Impact: total

CVE Program Container

Additional References

• https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-detect-notepad-vulnerability
• https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-mitigate-notepad-vulnerability
• https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-detect-notepad-vulnerability-1
• https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-mitigate-notepad-vulnerability-1

References

• https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-9vx8-v79m-6m24
• https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/f2346ea00d5b4d907ed39d8726b38d77c8198f30
• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11yeUSWgqHvt4Bz5jO3ilRRfcpQZ6Gvpn

• ←Previous
• Next→