CVE-2023-6401
NotePad++ dbghelp.exe uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file dbghelp.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The identifier VDB-246421 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
NotePad++ dbghelp.exe uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file dbghelp.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The identifier VDB-246421 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
- Record
CVE-2023-6401- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - CVSS 3.0
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - CVSS 2.0
- 4.3
AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-58638
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file dbghelp.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The identifier VDB-246421 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
- Record
EUVD-2023-58638- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-w9qm-5wjh-3m5x
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this...
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file dbghelp.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The identifier VDB-246421 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
- Record
GHSA-w9qm-5wjh-3m5x- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file dbghelp.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The identifier VDB-246421 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
- Record
CVE-2023-6401- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 4.3 Medium
AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
NotePad++ dbghelp.exe uncontrolled search path
A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in NotePad++ up to 8.1. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file dbghelp.exe. The manipulation leads to uncontrolled search path. An attack has to be approached locally. The identifier VDB-246421 was assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
- Record
CVE-2023-6401- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-427
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | mekitoci/CVE-2023-6401 | 2025-06-18 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, products, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-6401 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.3) in Notepad++, published November 30, 2023. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.33%, the 26th percentile. No source names a fixed version.