Flos Freeware Notepad2 Msimg32.dll uncontrolled search path

published 2026-02-16 8mo ago modified 2026-06-17 4mo ago also EUVD-2026-6122

cvss: 7.0; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 0.2%; EPSS 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 7%
public exploits: 0; none known

A security flaw has been discovered in Flos Freeware Notepad2 4.2.22/4.2.23/4.2.24/4.2.25. Affected is an unknown function in the library Msimg32.dll. Performing a manipulation results in uncontrolled search path. Attacking locally is a requirement. The attack's complexity is rated as high. The exploitability is told to be difficult. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.

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CISA SSVC

Exploitation: Proof of concept is public
Automatable: no
Technical impact: total
Assessed: 8mo ago (2026-02-17)

Exploit prediction

0.18% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 7% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	4.0	7.3	CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X
CNA	3.1	7.0	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:X/RL:X/RC:R
CNA	3.0	7.0	CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:X/RL:X/RC:R
CNA	2.0	6.0	AV:L/AC:H/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C/E:ND/RL:ND/RC:UR
CNA	4.0	7.3	CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
CNA	3.1	7.0	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA	2.0	6.0	AV:L/AC:H/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C

Affected products

Flos Freeware Notepad2

Classification

Weakness

CWE-427 Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CWE-426 Untrusted Search Path

References

vuldb.com /?id.346126
vdb-entry
vuldb.com /?ctiid.346126
signature, permissions-required
vuldb.com /?submit.749345
third-party-advisory
github.com /Cyber-Wo0dy/report/blob/main/notepad2/4.2.25/notepad2_dll_hijacking.md
related

Sources

CVE List CVE-2026-2538
NVD CVE-2026-2538

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