CVE-2025-49144
CVE-2025-49144
7.3
HighPublished:
Last updated:
Source:security-advisories@github.com
Deferred
CVSS Vector
v3.1- Attack Vector
- Local
- Attack Complexity
- Low
- Privileges Required
- Low
- User Interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Description
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.
References
security-advisories@github.com
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11yeUSWgqHvt4Bz5jO3ilRRfcpQZ6Gvpnsecurity-advisories@github.com
https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/f2346ea00d5b4d907ed39d8726b38d77c8198f30security-advisories@github.com
https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-9vx8-v79m-6m24af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-detect-notepad-vulnerabilityaf854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-detect-notepad-vulnerability-1af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-mitigate-notepad-vulnerabilityaf854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-mitigate-notepad-vulnerability-1