How severe is CVE-2026-46710?

CVE-2026-46710 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-46710 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (1st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-46710?

CVE-2026-46710 affects Notepad-plus-plus Notepad++. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-46710?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2026-46710 published?

CVE-2026-46710 was published on 2026-06-26 and last updated on 2026-06-29.

CVE-2026-46710

CVE-2026-46710 is a high-severity vulnerability in Notepad-plus-plus Notepad++ with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-426.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v4: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (1st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-426
Affected product: Notepad-plus-plus Notepad++
Published: 2026-06-26
Last modified: 2026-06-29

Description

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. From 8.9.4 until 8.9.6, Notepad++ contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the installer. During installation, the installer invokes powershell.exe without using an absolute path after setting the working directory to the installation contextMenu directory. If an attacker can pre-place a malicious powershell.exe in a user-writable custom installation directory, and a privileged user later runs the installer and selects that directory, the attacker-controlled executable is launched with the elevated privileges of the installer. This vulnerability is fixed in 8.9.6.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-46710?: Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. From 8.9.4 until 8.9.6, Notepad++ contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the installer. During installation, the installer invokes powershell.exe without using an absolute path after setting the working directory to the installation contextMenu directory. If an attacker can pre-place a malicious powershell.exe in a user-writable custom installation directory, and a privileged user later runs the installer and selects that directory, the attacker-controlled executable is launched with the elevated privileges of the installer. This vulnerability is fixed in 8.9.6.
How severe is CVE-2026-46710?: CVE-2026-46710 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-46710 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (1st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-46710?: CVE-2026-46710 affects Notepad-plus-plus Notepad++. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-46710?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2026-46710 published?: CVE-2026-46710 was published on 2026-06-26 and last updated on 2026-06-29.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:notepad-plus-plus:notepad\+\+:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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