# CVE-2025-49144

## Summary

- **CVE ID:** CVE-2025-49144
- **Severity:** HIGH
- **CVSS Score:** 7.3 (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
- **CWE:** CWE-272, CWE-276, CWE-427
- **Published:** Jun 23, 2025
- **Last Modified:** Mar 13, 2026

## 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.

## Affected Products

- notepad-plus-plus — notepad-plus-plus (< 8.8.2)

## References

- [CNA](https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-9vx8-v79m-6m24)
- [CNA](https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/f2346ea00d5b4d907ed39d8726b38d77c8198f30)
- [CNA](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11yeUSWgqHvt4Bz5jO3ilRRfcpQZ6Gvpn)
- [CVE](https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-detect-notepad-vulnerability)
- [CVE](https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-mitigate-notepad-vulnerability)
- [CVE](https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-detect-notepad-vulnerability-1)
- [CVE](https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/cve-2025-49144-mitigate-notepad-vulnerability-1)

## Exploitation Prediction (EPSS)

- **EPSS Score:** 0.61%
- **EPSS Percentile:** 47.4

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_Exported from OnDuty AI Vulnerability Intelligence on 2026-09-10._