this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2026
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The developer of the popular open source text editor Notepad++ has confirmed that hackers hijacked the software to deliver malicious updates to users over the course of several months in 2025.

In a blog post published Monday, Notepad++ developer Don Ho said that the cyberattack was likely carried out by hackers associated with the Chinese government between June and December 2025, citing multiple analyses by security experts who examined the malware payloads and attack patterns. Ho said this “would explain the highly selective targeting” seen during the campaign.

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[–] WesternInfidels@feddit.online 3 points 2 hours ago

Traffic from certain targeted users was selectively redirected to attacker-controlled malicious update manifests.

I don't want to sound dismissive, but at the same time, if you're wondering, "Does this affect me and my computer?" the answer is almost certainly "no." It's scary anyway.

I would have guessed NPP had an option to disable check-for-updates every time it starts, but I couldn't find one.

[–] Codilingus@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 hours ago

Anyone know if this affected updates through winget?

[–] officermike@lemmy.world 15 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Good thing I always ignore notepad++ updates. I mean, good on the devs for active development, but having a user-intervention-required update option every time I launch? Feels clunky.

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 7 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

You would prefer it automatically pull down and install malware?

[–] village604@adultswim.fan 8 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I think they want them to reduce the release frequency.

[–] whereIsTamara@lemmy.org 7 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Software should have version notification settings like, All, Security Only, Major Release, etc.

While I enjoy staying current, I don’t need the 2.1.3.2.1.000000023 release where someone fixes a minor bug in a niche feature that I have never used to begin with.

[–] officermike@lemmy.world 2 points 11 hours ago

I'd love that. Some things I'm willing to be on beta release. Some things I just want to be invisible and silent unless there's a security problem.

[–] officermike@lemmy.world 3 points 11 hours ago

I mean, isn't that what Windows does anyway?

I'd obviously prefer Notepad++ didn't auto-install malware. Steam and Discord force auto-updates on every launch and do so without user intervention. I haven't knowingly been burned by either yet, but they're bigger players with more resources than Notepad++.

[–] REDACTED@infosec.pub 19 points 14 hours ago

Well this sucks

[–] mfed1122@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 12 hours ago

From their blog post, it seems the software itself and its code was unaffected, but the attack was only on the website?

[–] BaroqueInMind@piefed.social 5 points 14 hours ago (3 children)

Fuck.

Anyone have an open source alternate that has commensurate features as N++

Getting increasingly paranoid about the software I allow on my devices and now that I have a self-hosted LLM, I can feed it the source code and cross-reference it on 5Gb of CVE databases I've trained it on to ensure sanitary code.

[–] surfrock66@lemmy.world 36 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Just to be clear, N++ wasn't compromised, the shared web host running the auto update infrastructure was. They responsibly disclosed it and shared safety steps. I don't know if it is time to bail on them yet.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 3 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Sounds like manual updates were fine?

[–] surfrock66@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Yes, that's the current consensus. Only the auto-update infrastructure was compromised, and it was a shared hosting compromise.

[–] muse@piefed.blahaj.zone 3 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Some options are atom, brackets/phoenix, lime text. I went with gVim for now.

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 7 points 11 hours ago

Atom's final release was in 2022.

[–] sahin@lemmy.world -5 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

I already hated it, now I uninstalled it, thank you

[–] jwt@programming.dev 5 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Kinda weird you had 'already hated' software installed in the first place...

[–] sahin@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

I really don' remember why i downloaded it. Generally when I first get my PC, I install programs like Sublime, Notepad++, vs code etc. I use Sublime for most of the tasks and it gets bloated, so I sometimes use Notepad++. I wasnt using for the last months. So I uninstalled it. The Json plugin was better than Sublime as far as I remember, maybe that's why I installed it.

[–] jwt@programming.dev 4 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) (1 children)

So you install software you already hate first chance you get to new PCs?

[–] sahin@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Yes. Because i sometimes need it. I hate Windows too dude, but I have to use it, because my company requires it.

[–] jwt@programming.dev 2 points 4 hours ago

Kinda weird.

[–] deacon@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

You are welcome!