CVE-2026-85995
Notepad++: Authenticode verification bypass allows modified updater execution
Description
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. From 8.9.7 until 8.9.8, the Notepad++ updater and signature verification path can accept a modified GUP.exe file whose embedded certificate metadata remains present even though its Authenticode digest is invalid. An attacker who can replace or plant the updater-related file can cause Notepad++ to launch attacker-modified code when a user triggers the updater path, but the issue does not provide remote code execution by itself. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.
INFO
Published Date :
Sept. 22, 2026, 6:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Sept. 22, 2026, 6:17 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | MITRE-CVE | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update Notepad++ to version 8.9.8.
- Verify the integrity of updater files.
- Ensure Authenticode signatures are valid.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-85995.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-85995 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-85995
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-85995 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-85995 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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New CVE Received by [email protected]
Sep. 22, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. From 8.9.7 until 8.9.8, the Notepad++ updater and signature verification path can accept a modified GUP.exe file whose embedded certificate metadata remains present even though its Authenticode digest is invalid. An attacker who can replace or plant the updater-related file can cause Notepad++ to launch attacker-modified code when a user triggers the updater path, but the issue does not provide remote code execution by itself. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8. Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Added CWE CWE-347 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/85xxx/CVE-2026-85995.json">CVE-2026-85995</a> Added Reference https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/9edf40f725ce62b26c454905e39f0f7fdbbb3ffa Added Reference https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.8 Added Reference https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-cx87-7hhq-m2j3 Added Reference https://notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v898-released -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Sep. 22, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-85995', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-09-22T17:35:40.027541Z'}