Notepad++ “Run by system” executes *.txt.cmd when user selected *.txt (target confusion → command execution) (CVE-2026-77605) | HOL Guard CVE

High · CVSS 7.8CVE-2026-77605

Notepad++ “Run by system” executes .txt.cmd when user selected .txt (target confusion → command execution)

Answer in brief

CVE-2026-77605 records a High severity (CVSS 7.8) vulnerability in Notepad++ “Run by system” executes *.txt.cmd when user selected *.txt (target confusion → command execution). The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. The current feed maps notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus (generic). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Analysis pending evidence review

HOL Guard separates source facts from reviewed analysis. See the methodology.

Published Sep 22, 2026Updated Sep 22, 2026Source checked Sep 22, 2026First seen by HOL Sep 22, 2026Material review Sep 22, 2026

Upstream Advisory

Key facts

Risk: High · CVSS 7.8
Exploitation: Not marked as known exploited
Affected software: 1 mapped package or product
Fix availability: Available

Why this deserves its current priority

CVSS is 7.8. The current sources do not mark it as known exploited. Treat this as a source-backed prioritization signal, not a statement about your environment.

Analysis status

Analysis pending evidence review

Factual feed record only; HOL analysis is not approved for indexing. Read the methodology.

Affected scope and exposure questions

The current feed maps notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus (generic). Check affected ranges and fixed versions before updating.

Mapped affected packages and fixed versions
Package	Affected range	Fixed version
notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plusgeneric	<8.9.8	8.9.8

Recommended response

Check inventory. Check lockfiles and deployed manifests for notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus.
Review the reported fix. Update notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus to 8.9.8 if you use the affected versions. Test the change in a non-production environment first.

Evidence timeline and material changes

Published upstream
Sep 22, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
Source modified
Sep 22, 2026
Evidence: source:cvelist:source_dates:source-dates:record
First seen by HOL
Sep 22, 2026

Sources and claim methodology

Upstream source description

Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, the Folder as Workspace Run by system action in Notepad++ can resolve a different sibling file than the file selected by the user. When an attacker places a command script whose name is the selected text-file path with .cmd appended, and the user invokes Run by system on the text file on Windows 10 or Windows 11, Notepad++ can execute the sibling script as the current user instead of opening the selected file. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.

Quoted source text, attributed separately from HOL analysis.