CVE-2026-86056
Notepad++: Null pointer dereference in NPPM_SAVESESSION message handler causes crash (DoS)
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, the NPPM_SAVESESSION handler in PowerEditor/src/NppBigSwitch.cpp converts lParam to a sessionInfo pointer and dereferences its nbFile, files, and sessionFilePathName members without checking for null. A process running at the same or a higher Windows integrity level on the same desktop can send NPPM_SAVESESSION with a null lParam, immediately terminating Notepad++ and causing denial of service and loss of unsaved documents. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.
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
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
5.5
Notepad++: Null pointer dereference in NPPM_SAVESESSION message handler causes crash (DoS)
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, the NPPM_SAVESESSION handler in PowerEditor/src/NppBigSwitch.cpp converts lParam to a sessionInfo pointer and dereferences its nbFile, files, and sessionFilePathName members without checking for null. A process running at the same or a higher Windows integrity level on the same desktop can send NPPM_SAVESESSION with a null lParam, immediately terminating Notepad++ and causing denial of service and loss of unsaved documents. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.
- Record
CVE-2026-86056- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-84574
5.5
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, the NPPM_SAVESESSION handler in PowerEditor/src/NppBigSwitch.cpp converts lParam to a sessionInfo pointer and dereferences its nbFile, files, and sessionFilePathName members without checking for null. A process running at the same or a higher Windows integrity level on the same desktop can send NPPM_SAVESESSION with a null lParam, immediately terminating Notepad++ and causing denial of service and loss of unsaved documents. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.
- Record
EUVD-2026-84574- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
5.5
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, the NPPM_SAVESESSION handler in PowerEditor/src/NppBigSwitch.cpp converts lParam to a sessionInfo pointer and dereferences its nbFile, files, and sessionFilePathName members without checking for null. A process running at the same or a higher Windows integrity level on the same desktop can send NPPM_SAVESESSION with a null lParam, immediately terminating Notepad++ and causing denial of service and loss of unsaved documents. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.
- Record
CVE-2026-86056- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
5.5
Notepad++: Null pointer dereference in NPPM_SAVESESSION message handler causes crash (DoS)
Notepad++ is a free and open-source source code editor. Prior to 8.9.8, the NPPM_SAVESESSION handler in PowerEditor/src/NppBigSwitch.cpp converts lParam to a sessionInfo pointer and dereferences its nbFile, files, and sessionFilePathName members without checking for null. A process running at the same or a higher Windows integrity level on the same desktop can send NPPM_SAVESESSION with a null lParam, immediately terminating Notepad++ and causing denial of service and loss of unsaved documents. This issue is fixed in version 8.9.8.
- Record
CVE-2026-86056- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-86056 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.5) in Notepad-plus-plus, published September 22, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.16%, the 5th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/security/advisories/GHSA-j85c-6wc9-p98p
github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/commit/8b33f52e7aa488b1222d3cfce5903a38dd63101f
github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/tag/v8.9.8
notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v898-released
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/86xxx/CVE-2026-86056.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86056