Notepad++: Stack Buffer Overflow in Plugin Lexer Loading via Unchecked GetLexerCount() Return Value
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-85279 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | GitHub_M |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-09-22 18:17:23 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-09-23 18:28:25 UTC |
| Description | Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, Notepad++ contains a stack buffer overflow in PluginsManager::loadPluginFromPath in PowerEditor/src/MISC/PluginsManager/PluginsManager.cpp because the plugin-supplied GetLexerCount() result controls a loop that writes to containers[30] without enforcing NB_MAX_EXTERNAL_LANG. A malicious or compromised plugin that reports more than 30 lexers can write beyond the stack array and corrupt control data, which can permit arbitrary code execution in the Notepad++ process context. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 8.6 HIGH from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS: 0.002120000 probability, percentile 0.118380000 (date 2026-09-23)
Problem Types: CWE-121 | CWE-121 CWE-121: Stack-based Buffer Overflow
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Secondary | 8.6 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | DECLARED | 8.6 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
LocalAttack Complexity
LowPrivileges Required
NoneUser Interaction
RequiredScope
ChangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Notepad-plus-plus | Notepad-plus-plus | affected < 8.9.8 | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v898-released | [email protected] | notepad-plus-plus.org | |
| github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/f1e1c71b090d69ca0f... | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-... | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | github.com | |
| github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.8 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/70b88f95311d88523c... | [email protected] | github.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
No vendor comments have been submitted for this CVE.
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.