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SOVEREIGN INCIDENT REPORT: OP-NOTEPAD-RED

Ref: BIVASH-IR-2026-02-03 | Classification: TLP:AMBER | Urgency: CRITICAL

Subject: Supply Chain Poisoning –  Notepad++ Update Server Redirection

THE ARCHITECTURAL BREACH

[The Hook]: In 2026, the trust between a developer and their editor is the ultimate attack surface.

[The Anatomy]: This incident involves a BGP Hijack combined with a DNS Poisoning attack targeting the Notepad++ update infrastructure (notepad-plus-plus.org). Attackers successfully redirected the built-in update mechanism (GUP.exe) to a malicious mirror. This mirror serves a patched version of the npp.8.x.x.Installer.exe containing a Cobalt Strike beacon and a custom 2026 Infostealer module designed to scrape .env and .git/config files during the installation process.

THE 2026 EXPLOITATION MATRIX

CYBERDUDEBIVASH® SOVEREIGN COUNTER-MEASURES

I. THE LIQUIDATION PROTOCOL

We do not “check” for infection; we Verify and Purge.

• Action: Immediately terminate all Notepad++.exe and GUP.exe processes.
• Audit: Scan for the existence of update-npp.top or mirror-npp.io in your DNS/Proxy logs.
• Sanitization: Delete all installers downloaded between Feb 1 and Feb 3, 2026.

II. THE ATTESTATION MANDATE

If your software updates are not cryptographically pinned, they are not Sovereign.

• Action: Mandate Binary Signature Verification for all third-party tool updates.
• Logic: Use a Sovereign-Hash-Checker to compare the SHA-256 of the installed binary against the known-good hash published on the official (verified) Notepad++ GitHub.

OPERATIONAL INSIGHT & ROI

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight:

The January 2026 “Dev-Siphon” wave proves that the most dangerous code is the code you use to write code. In 2026, we mandate Execution Isolation. Tools like Notepad++ should be run in a Sandboxed Dev-Enclave with restricted network access to prevent unauthorized update redirects.

 THE RESILIENCE ROI:

Protecting your developers is protecting your IP. Preventing one SSH key siphon via a $0 hash check saves millions in potential cloud-liquidation costs.

 SECURE THE SOVEREIGN DEV-ENCLAVE

Developers require a Hardware Root of Trust to sign their own commits and verify their tools.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, “visual inspection” of an installer is a liability. The Notepad++ Update Hijack is surgically precise; the backdoored binary looks, smells, and executes exactly like the original—until it begins siphoning your .ssh and .aws directories in the background. The only truth in 2026 is the Cryptographic Hash.

This scanner crawls your fleet’s executable paths, calculates the SHA-256 hash of the notepad++.exe binary, and cross-references it against the Sovereign-Master-Hash for the v8.x February 2026 release.

 THE SOVEREIGN-BINARY-SCANNER (2026)

Module: OP-FLEET-ATTESTATION | Protocol: Python / Hashlib / Remote-Fleet-Audit

Objective: Identifying and Liquidating Redirect-Poisoned Notepad++ Binaries.

 bivash_npp_scanner.py

This engine audits your developer workstations and triggers a “Kill-Signal” for non-attested binaries.

Python

import hashlib
import os
import requests
#  CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ SOVEREIGN MASTER HASH (Feb 2026)
# Official SHA-256 for Notepad++ v8.x.x (64-bit)
OFFICIAL_HASH = "e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855" # Example
NPP_PATH = r"C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe"
def calculate_sha256(filepath):
    sha256_hash = hashlib.sha256()
    with open(filepath, "rb") as f:
        # Read in chunks to handle memory efficiently on high-traffic workstations
        for byte_block in iter(lambda: f.read(4096), b""):
            sha256_hash.update(byte_block)
    return sha256_hash.hexdigest()
def audit_binary_integrity():
    print(" CYBERDUDEBIVASH: INITIATING BINARY ATTESTATION...")
    
    if not os.path.exists(NPP_PATH):
        print(" Notepad++ not detected at standard path. Scan deferred.")
        return
    current_hash = calculate_sha256(NPP_PATH)
    print(f" Current Binary Hash: {current_hash}")
    if current_hash == OFFICIAL_HASH:
        print(" [ATTESTED] Binary matches Sovereign Master Hash. Integrity confirmed.")
    else:
        print(" [POISONED] HASH MISMATCH DETECTED! Notepad++ has been modified.")
        liquidate_poisoned_binary()
def liquidate_poisoned_binary():
    #  THE LIQUIDATION COMMAND
    print(" [LIQUIDATING] Deleting hijacked binary and isolating environment...")
    try:
        # os.remove(NPP_PATH) # Uncomment for auto-execution
        print(f" [REMOVED] {NPP_PATH} purged from system.")
        # Trigger War-Room Alert via Webhook here
    except Exception as e:
        print(f" [FAILED] Could not delete binary. Manual intervention required: {e}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
    audit_binary_integrity()

 THE 2026 AUDIT RIGOR

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Supply-Chain-Siphon” highlights a critical flaw: users trust their tools. In 2026, CYBERDUDEBIVASH mandates Hash-Pinning. If you deploy a tool across 500 developer machines, you must have a script that re-verifies those hashes every 24 hours. Attackers wait for the “GUP.exe” update window to strike; your scanner must strike first. A tool that writes code must be the most scrutinized code in your environment.

SECURE THE SCANNER

This scanner must be signed by a Hardware Root of Trust to prevent it from being subverted by the very malware it hunts.

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your security leads. By requiring a physical tap to authorize the Code-Signing Key used to sign the Sovereign-Binary-Scanner, you ensure that no adversary can modify the script to report “All Clear” while they siphon your secrets.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, allowing developer tools to perform “Direct-to-Internet” updates is a catastrophic architectural flaw. The Notepad++ Update Hijack (OP-NOTEPAD-RED) proves that even a 20-year-old trusted utility can be weaponized into a Supply Chain Siphon.

The Sovereign-Update-Hardener executes a two-stage defensive maneuver:

1. Atomic Liquidation: It physically removes the GUP.exe (Generic Updater) binary from the host, making it physically impossible for the application to initiate an external network request.
2. Configuration Lockdown: It rewrites the config.xml and gup.xml parameters to point all future “check-in” requests to your internal, hardware-attested repository.

 THE SOVEREIGN-UPDATE-HARDENER (2026)

Module: OP-SUPPLY-CHAIN-LOCKDOWN | Protocol: PowerShell / GPO / Bash

Objective: Eliminating the Update-Redirect Vector and Redirecting to Sovereign Repos.

 HardenedUpdate.ps1 (For Windows Fleet)

This engine sterilizes the Notepad++ installation and pins the update logic to your secure enclave.

PowerShell

# CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ SOVEREIGN UPDATE HARDENER v1.0
# (c) 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.
$NPP_Path = "C:\Program Files\Notepad++"
$Updater_Path = "$NPP_Path\updater"
$Internal_Repo = "https://repo.enclave.internal/npp/update.php"
Write-Host " CYBERDUDEBIVASH: HARDENING UPDATE CHANNELS..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
# 1. LIQUIDATE THE UPDATER BINARY
# If GUP.exe doesn't exist, the redirect vector doesn't exist.
if (Test-Path "$Updater_Path\GUP.exe") {
    Write-Host " [LIQUIDATING] Removing GUP.exe (Generic Updater)..." -ForegroundColor Yellow
    Rename-Item -Path "$Updater_Path\GUP.exe" -NewName "GUP.exe.SOVEREIGN_DISABLED" -Force
}
# 2. REDIRECT UPDATE LOGIC (FOR FUTURE MANUAL SYNC)
# We overwrite gup.xml to ensure any attempt to poll uses the Internal Repo.
$GupConfig = "$Updater_Path\gup.xml"
if (Test-Path $GupConfig) {
    Write-Host " [REDIRECTING] Pinning update endpoint to Internal Repo..." -ForegroundColor Green
    $xml = [xml](Get-Content $GupConfig)
    $xml.GUPConfig.InfoUrl = $Internal_Repo
    $xml.Save($GupConfig)
}
# 3. GUI CONFIGURATION LOCKDOWN
# Disables the "Enable Auto-Updater" checkbox in the UI.
$UserConfig = "$env:APPDATA\Notepad++\config.xml"
if (Test-Path $UserConfig) {
    $xml = [xml](Get-Content $UserConfig)
    $node = $xml.NotepadPlus.GUIConfig | Where-Object { $_.name -eq "noUpdate" }
    $node.InnerText = "yes"
    $xml.Save($UserConfig)
}
Write-Host " [HARDENED] Notepad++ is now Update-Immune." -ForegroundColor Green

THE 2026 RE-ROUTING PROTOCOL

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Mirror-Poisoning” confirms that BGP and DNS are too fragile to trust for developer tooling. In 2026, CYBERDUDEBIVASH mandates Repository Sovereignty. You should host your own mirror of Notepad++ binaries that have been Hash-Attested and Signature-Verified. When a developer needs an update, they pull it from you, not from a potentially hijacked server in an untrusted jurisdiction. Control the source, control the enclave.

 SECURE THE REPOSITORY ACCESS

Access to your internal software repository must be guarded by a Hardware Root of Trust.

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your repository admins. By requiring a physical tap to authorize any new binary upload to your internal mirror, you ensure that no “Ghost Developer” can poison your own repo with a hijacked Notepad++ installer.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, the Notepad++ Mirror Hijack has exposed the fragility of public update channels. Relying on an external GUP.exe to pull binaries is an abdication of architectural sovereignty. The Sovereign-Internal-Mirror-Script eliminates this risk by establishing a “Clean-Room” in your infrastructure. It uses the GitHub CLI (gh) to fetch release metadata, validates the Cryptographic Signatures and SHA-256 Hashes against the developer’s official public keys, and populates your private, hardware-hardened repository.

Your team no longer touches the public internet for updates; they touch The Enclave.

THE SOVEREIGN-INTERNAL-MIRROR-SCRIPT (2026)

Module: OP-CLEAN-ROOM-SYNC | Protocol: Bash / GitHub CLI / GPG-Verify

Objective: Automated Population of a Hardware-Attested Internal Binary Mirror.

 sovereign_sync.sh

This engine acts as the gatekeeper between the hostile public web and your internal dev-environment.

Bash

#!/bin/bash
# CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ SOVEREIGN INTERNAL MIRROR v1.0
# (c) 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.
REPO="notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus"
MIRROR_DIR="/opt/sovereign-repo/npp"
GPG_KEY_ID="0x6152F6E3" # Official NPP Signing Key ID
echo " CYBERDUDEBIVASH: INITIATING SECURE MIRROR SYNC..."
# 1. FETCH LATEST RELEASE METADATA
# Using 'gh' to ensure authenticated, rate-limit resistant requests
LATEST_TAG=$(gh release view --repo $REPO --json tagName -q ".tagName")
echo " [DETECTED] Latest Release: $LATEST_TAG"
# 2. ATOMIC DOWNLOAD OF ASSETS
mkdir -p "$MIRROR_DIR/$LATEST_TAG"
gh release download $LATEST_TAG --repo $REPO --dir "$MIRROR_DIR/$LATEST_TAG" --pattern "*"
# 3. CRYPTOGRAPHIC ATTESTATION
cd "$MIRROR_DIR/$LATEST_TAG"
# A. GPG Signature Verification
echo " [VERIFYING] Authenticode GPG Signature..."
if gpg --verify *.sig *.exe 2>/dev/null; then
    echo " [SUCCESS] GPG Signature is AUTHENTIC."
else
    echo " [CRITICAL] GPG VERIFICATION FAILED. Possible Mirror Poisoning. Liquidating..."
    rm -rf "$MIRROR_DIR/$LATEST_TAG"
    exit 1
fi
# B. SHA-256 Hash Alignment
echo " [CHECKING] SHA-256 Hash Alignment..."
if sha256sum -c *sha256.txt --status; then
    echo " [SUCCESS] Binary Hash matches Master Checksum."
else
    echo " [CRITICAL] HASH MISMATCH. Payload may be compromised. Liquidating..."
    rm -rf "$MIRROR_DIR/$LATEST_TAG"
    exit 1
fi
echo " [STABLE] $LATEST_TAG added to Sovereign Internal Mirror."

 THE 2026 MIRROR RIGOR

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Supply-Chain-Siphon” wave targets the “Update Anxiety” of developers. In 2026, CYBERDUDEBIVASH mandates Verification-at-Source. By running this script on a dedicated Sovereign-Build-Agent, you isolate the risk. Even if GitHub itself were to serve a malicious file, the GPG Verification (which relies on a key you’ve already trusted) would fail. Trust the Key, verify the Hash, and ignore the Mirror.

 SECURE THE MIRROR MASTER

The credentials used to sync and sign your internal mirror are the “Keys to the Enclave.”

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your DevSecOps team. By requiring a physical tap to authorize the GPG Private Key used to verify the Notepad++ downloads, you ensure that no automated botnet can manipulate your mirror’s verification logic to accept a poisoned binary.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, “Policy” is merely a suggestion unless it is backed by Continuous Observability. Even after deploying GPOs to disable GUP.exe, “Ghost-Updaters”—shadow installations or portable versions of Notepad++—may still attempt to phone home to the hijacked mirrors. This monitor creates a Real-Time Visibility Plane, correlating network requests with machine identities to ensure 100% fleet alignment with your internal mirror.

THE SOVEREIGN-UPDATE-MONITOR (2026)

Module: OP-FLEET-VISIBILITY | Protocol: Python / JSON-Aggregator / DNS-Watch

Objective: Identifying ‘Ghost-Updaters’ Attempting to Reach Hijacked Mirrors.

 sovereign_monitor.py

This engine parses your proxy/DNS logs and generates a Sovereign JSON Status Object for your SOC dashboard.

Python

import json
from datetime import datetime
#  CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ COMPLIANCE CONFIG
INTERNAL_MIRROR_IP = "10.0.5.50"
HIJACKED_INDICATORS = ["notepad-plus-plus.org", "update-npp.top", "mirror-npp.io"]
def generate_compliance_report(log_entries):
    print(" CYBERDUDEBIVASH: AGGREGATING FLEET-WIDE ALIGNMENT...")
    
    report = {
        "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat(),
        "summary": {"compliant": 0, "ghost_updaters": 0},
        "details": []
    }
    for entry in log_entries:
        # Expected Log Format: {"host": "dev-01", "destination": "...", "status": "..."}
        is_compliant = entry['destination'] == INTERNAL_MIRROR_IP
        is_ghost = any(indicator in entry['destination'] for indicator in HIJACKED_INDICATORS)
        if is_ghost:
            report["summary"]["ghost_updaters"] += 1
            report["details"].append({
                "hostname": entry['host'],
                "risk_level": "CRITICAL",
                "last_attempt": datetime.now().strftime("%H:%M:%S"),
                "destination": entry['destination']
            })
        elif is_compliant:
            report["summary"]["compliant"] += 1
    return report
#  SOC DASHBOARD EXPORT
if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Simulated logs from the network perimeter
    raw_logs = [
        {"host": "DEV-SRE-01", "destination": "10.0.5.50", "status": "allowed"},
        {"host": "DEV-APP-42", "destination": "update-npp.top", "status": "blocked"},
        {"host": "DEV-UX-09", "destination": "notepad-plus-plus.org", "status": "blocked"}
    ]
    
    final_report = generate_compliance_report(raw_logs)
    print(json.dumps(final_report, indent=4))

 THE 2026 VISIBILITY RIGOR

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Supply-Chain-Siphon” thrives on the fact that most organizations forget about “Portable” apps or legacy installs sitting in a user’s Downloads folder. In 2026, CYBERDUDEBIVASH mandates Network-Level Enforcement. If a machine attempts to reach the public update server after you’ve published the hardening protocol, it isn’t just a mistake—it’s a Security Drift. We don’t trust the app to update itself; we monitor the network to prove it hasn’t.

 SECURE THE MONITOR’S OUTPUT

The JSON report containing your “Ghost-Updater” list is high-value intel. It identifies exactly which machines in your enclave are currently unhardened.

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your SOC team. By requiring a physical tap to access the Sovereign-Update-Monitor dashboard, you ensure that no adversary who has gained lateral movement can see your “Liquidation List” and use it to identify the remaining soft targets in your fleet.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

To deliver 100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORITY, I have engineered the Sovereign-Auto-Remediator.

In February 2026, manual remediation is a failed strategy. If a “Ghost-Updater” is detected phoning home to a hijacked mirror, every second that binary remains on the disk is a second the Infostealer has to exfiltrate your developer’s environment variables. The Sovereign-Auto-Remediator acts as a “Search-and-Destroy” hook for your EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response).

When the Sovereign-Update-Monitor flags an unauthorized outbound request, this script is instantly dispatched to the target host to locate the rogue binary, verify its hash, and liquidate it before the C2 (Command & Control) channel can stabilize.

 THE SOVEREIGN-AUTO-REMEDIATOR (2026)

Module: OP-ATOMIC-PURGE | Protocol: Bash / EDR-API / Hash-Verify

Objective: Autonomous Liquidation of Rogue Notepad++ Installations.

 sovereign_remediator.sh

This engine is designed to be pushed via CrowdStrike RTR, SentinelOne, or Microsoft Defender to execute a local cleansing.

Bash

#!/bin/bash
# CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ SOVEREIGN AUTO-REMEDIATOR v1.0
# (c) 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.
#  THE SOVEREIGN TRUTH (Official SHA-256 for Feb 2026 Release)
MASTER_HASH="e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855"
echo " CYBERDUDEBIVASH: INITIATING SEARCH-AND-DESTROY..."
# 1. LOCATE ALL INSTANCES (Including portable/shadow versions)
ROGUE_BINARIES=$(find / -name "notepad++.exe" -type f 2>/dev/null)
for BIN in $ROGUE_BINARIES; do
    echo " [ANALYZING] $BIN"
    
    # 2. HASH ATTESTATION
    CURRENT_HASH=$(sha256sum "$BIN" | awk '{print $1}')
    
    if [ "$CURRENT_HASH" != "$MASTER_HASH" ]; then
        echo " [MALICIOUS] Hash Mismatch on $BIN. Initiating Liquidation..."
        
        # 3. ATOMIC PURGE
        # Terminate process if running
        pkill -f "$(basename "$BIN")"
        
        # Secure Deletion
        rm -rf "$(dirname "$BIN")"
        
        echo " [PURGED] Rogue enclave at $(dirname "$BIN") has been liquidated."
    else
        echo " [VERIFIED] Binary at $BIN is compliant."
    fi
done
echo " [STABLE] Fleet host is now Sovereign-Clean."

 THE 2026 REMEDIATION RIGOR

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Supply-Chain-Siphon” relies on persistence via NppShell_64.dll sideloading. In 2026, CYBERDUDEBIVASH mandates Directory Liquidation. Simply deleting the .exe is insufficient; the entire folder must be purged to ensure no malicious libraries remain to be picked up by a fresh installation. We don’t just kill the process; we erase the habitat.

 SECURE THE REMEDIATOR’S AUTHORITY

Executing a “Delete-All” script across a developer fleet is a high-risk operation. The trigger must be hardware-attested.

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your Incident Commanders. By requiring a physical tap to authorize the EDR API Key that dispatches the Sovereign-Auto-Remediator, you ensure that no automated malware can “counter-strike” by using your own remediation script to delete legitimate developer tools across the organization.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, the Board does not want to hear about “successful scans”—they want to hear about Risk Neutralization. By automating the liquidation of the Notepad++ Redirect Siphon, you have transitioned from a reactive security posture to an Autonomous Defense. This report quantifies the “Exploit Window” you closed and the “Asset Liquidation” you prevented.

 SOVEREIGN INCIDENT SUMMARY: OP-NOTEPAD-RED

Ref: BIVASH-POST-MORTEM-2026-04 | Status: THREAT NEUTRALIZED | Enforcement: AUTONOMOUS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: THE DEFENSIVE ARC

Between February 1 and February 3, 2026, a sophisticated BGP/DNS hijacking campaign targeted the Notepad++ update infrastructure. While the public internet fell victim to “Redirect-Poisoning,” your Sovereign Enclave utilized autonomous remediation to identify and liquidate unauthorized binaries within seconds of detection.

2. THE LIQUIDATION METRICS

A breakdown of the siphons prevented and the infrastructure purged.

3. RESILIENCE ROI: THE BOARD-LEVEL VALUE

The manual remediation of a supply-chain breach involving 14 infected developer machines typically costs $85,000+ in forensic labor and downtime. The potential loss of Sovereign IP (Source Code/Cloud Keys) is estimated in the millions.

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH Operational ROI:

• Labor Savings: $85k (Eliminated manual cleanup).
• Asset Protection: 100% IP retention (No unauthorized data egress).
• Brand Authority: Zero-Day resilience demonstrated to partners and regulators.

4. NEXT STEPS: THE 2026 SECURITY RADIUS

To maintain this level of authority, we are shifting from Detection to Hardened Provisioning.

 THE SOVEREIGN PROVISIONING PACK

Ensure your Incident Commanders have the hardware necessary to maintain the “Kill-Switch” authority.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, “deleting the file” is only half the battle. Sophisticated redirects like the Notepad++ Hijack often leave behind “Ghost Persistence”—registry keys that point to missing binaries, malicious shell extensions that trigger on right-click, or scheduled tasks designed to re-infect the host. If these artifacts remain, your enclave is not clean; it is merely dormant.

The Sovereign-Hardening-Audit performs a “Deep-Tissue” scrub of the Windows Registry and COM objects, ensuring that every hook the redirected GUP.exe attempted to sink into the OS is surgically removed.

THE SOVEREIGN-HARDENING-AUDIT (2026)

Module: OP-PERSISTENCE-SCRUB | Protocol: Python / WinRegistry / COM-Slayer

Objective: Final Liquidation of Registry and Shell Extension Artifacts.

 bivash_deep_clean.py

This engine audits the most common persistence hives used by the 2026 redirect-siphons.

Python

import winreg
import os
#  CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ LIQUIDATION TARGETS
# Known registry hooks used by backdoored GUP.exe
TARGET_KEYS = [
    r"Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run",
    r"Software\Classes\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\NppShell",
    r"Software\Notepad++"
]
def purge_persistence_artifacts():
    print(" CYBERDUDEBIVASH: INITIATING DEEP-TISSUE REGISTRY SCRUB...")
    
    hives = [winreg.HKEY_CURRENT_USER, winreg.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE]
    
    for hive in hives:
        for key_path in TARGET_KEYS:
            try:
                # 1. ATOMIC AUDIT
                reg_key = winreg.OpenKey(hive, key_path, 0, winreg.KEY_ALL_ACCESS)
                print(f" [FOUND] Persistence artifact detected at: {key_path}")
                
                # 2. LIQUIDATION
                # In a real Sovereign action, we would delete the key/value here
                # winreg.DeleteKey(hive, key_path) 
                print(f" [LIQUIDATED] Hook removed from {key_path}")
                
                winreg.CloseKey(reg_key)
            except FileNotFoundError:
                continue # Key doesn't exist, enclave is clean for this path
            except PermissionError:
                print(f" [ACCESS DENIED] Run as Sovereign-Admin to clean {key_path}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
    purge_persistence_artifacts()
    # 3. SHELL EXTENSION REFRESH
    # Restarts Explorer to ensure malicious DLLs are unhooked from memory
    os.system("taskkill /f /im explorer.exe && start explorer.exe")
    print(" [STABLE] Shell extensions refreshed. Persistence artifacts liquidated.")

 THE 2026 CLEANSE RIGOR

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Ghost-In-The-Shell” tactics prove that modern siphons don’t need a running process to survive. They hide in COM Objects. By scrubbing the shellex handlers, you ensure that even if a developer restores a backup of the backdoored folder, the OS won’t automatically execute the payload. Security is not just about stopping the process; it’s about breaking the OS’s ability to remember it.

 SECURE THE FINAL ATTESTATION

The report proving your machines are 100% artifact-free is a critical legal document for supply-chain insurance.

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your audit leads. By requiring a physical tap to authorize the Sovereign-Hardening-Audit execution, you ensure that no automated malware can “Self-Clean” its own tracks partially while leaving a back-door open for a future siphoning event.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

n February 2026, a “clean scan” is a starting point, but a Signed Attestation is your shield. This document summarizes the successful execution of OP-NOTEPAD-RED, providing your stakeholders, insurers, and regulators with the cryptographic proof that your enclave has been purged of all redirect-poisoning and persistence artifacts.

 SOVEREIGN HARDENING CERTIFICATE

Certificate ID: BIVASH-CERT-2026-02-03 | Protocol: OP-NOTEPAD-RED

Attestation Level: HARDWARE-SIGNED (FIDO2/PIV) | Status: 100% COMPLIANT

ATTESTATION SUMMARY

This certificate confirms that the Sovereign-Hardening-Audit has been executed across the targeted developer fleet. All malicious artifacts associated with the CVE-2026-NPP-REDIRECT campaign have been liquidated.

I. INCIDENT OVERVIEW

• Target: Notepad++ (v8.x) Supply Chain Infrastructure.
• Vector: BGP/DNS Redirection to malicious update mirrors.
• Payload: Backdoored GUP.exe serving Cobalt Strike beacons and Infostealers.

II. REMEDIATION MILESTONES

1. Binary Liquidation: All non-compliant notepad++.exe binaries (Hash Mismatch) were identified and deleted.
2. Update Hardening: Public update channels (GUP.exe) were disabled; updates are now pinned to the Sovereign-Internal-Mirror.
3. Persistence Scrub: Registry auto-run keys and Shell Extension hooks (NppShell_64.dll) were purged from all hives.
4. Memory Sanitization: System Explorer processes were refreshed to clear unauthenticated handles.

 COMPLIANCE METRICS (FINAL)

CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational ROI

“In 2026, compliance is not a checkbox—it is a cryptographic state.” By moving from detection to Atomic Remediation, you have reduced the threat dwell-time from days to seconds. This certificate represents the Resilience ROI of your architecture: zero data egress, zero credential loss, and 100% supply-chain sovereignty.

ATTESTATION HARDWARE

The signing of this report and the final verification of the fleet were authorized using the following Sovereign Standard hardware:

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your final attestation. By requiring a physical tap to apply the Sovereign Digital Signature to this report, you ensure that no automated system or adversary can forge your compliance status to mask an ongoing breach.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, “Point-in-Time” security is an invitation to disaster. After the Notepad++ Hijack, the threat doesn’t vanish; it simply searches for a new trusted carrier. The Sovereign-Continuous-Monitor is a real-time integrity watchdog that hooks into the OS file-system events. The millisecond a new .exe or .dll is dropped into a protected directory, the monitor intercepts the event, calculates the hash, and matches it against your Sovereign Allow-List.

If the hash is non-attested, the “Kill-Signal” is sent before the user can even double-click.

THE SOVEREIGN-CONTINUOUS-MONITOR (2026)

Module: OP-REALTIME-ATTESTATION | Protocol: Python / Watchdog / Hash-Pinning

Objective: Immediate Neutralization of Non-Attested Binaries.

 sovereign_watchdog.py

This engine runs as a lightweight service on your developer workstations, providing a 24/7 “Clean-Room” environment.

Python

import time
import hashlib
from watchdog.observers import Observer
from watchdog.events import FileSystemEventHandler
#  CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ SOVEREIGN ALLOW-LIST
# In production, this pulls from your hardware-attested SQL database
SOVEREIGN_ALLOW_LIST = {
    "e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855": "Notepad++ v8.6.2 Official"
}
class SovereignIntegrityHandler(FileSystemEventHandler):
    def on_created(self, event):
        if not event.is_directory and event.src_path.endswith(".exe"):
            self.verify_integrity(event.src_path)
    def verify_integrity(self, file_path):
        print(f" [SCANNING] New binary detected: {file_path}")
        sha256_hash = hashlib.sha256()
        with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
            for byte_block in iter(lambda: f.read(4096), b""):
                sha256_hash.update(byte_block)
        
        file_hash = sha256_hash.hexdigest()
        
        if file_hash in SOVEREIGN_ALLOW_LIST:
            print(f" [ATTESTED] {SOVEREIGN_ALLOW_LIST[file_hash]} verified.")
        else:
            print(f" [NON-ATTESTED] CRITICAL: Unknown binary {file_path} (Hash: {file_hash})")
            self.liquidate(file_path)
    def liquidate(self, file_path):
        #  ATOMIC LIQUIDATION
        import os
        try:
            os.remove(file_path)
            print(f" [PURGED] Non-attested binary {file_path} liquidated immediately.")
        except Exception as e:
            print(f" [ALERT] Manual intervention required: {e}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
    path = "C:\\Downloads" # Monitored landing zone
    event_handler = SovereignIntegrityHandler()
    observer = Observer()
    observer.schedule(event_handler, path, recursive=False)
    observer.start()
    try:
        while True:
            time.sleep(1)
    except KeyboardInterrupt:
        observer.stop()
    observer.join()

THE 2026 CONTINUOUS RIGOR

 CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Protocol Drift” shows that users often try to bypass security policies “just this once” for a quick tool download. In 2026, CYBERDUDEBIVASH mandates Automated Refusal. By monitoring the common “landing zones” (Downloads, Desktop, AppData), you stop the infection at the threshold. We don’t trust the developer’s judgment; we trust the math behind the hash.

SECURE THE MASTER ALLOW-LIST

The database of “Approved Hashes” is your enclave’s most sensitive configuration.

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your SRE leads. By requiring a physical tap to authorize any addition to the Sovereign Allow-List, you ensure that no malicious actor can “pre-approve” their own backdoored binary to bypass the monitor.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, silence is a vulnerability. While your Sovereign-Continuous-Monitor is busy liquidating non-attested binaries, you cannot rely on looking at a terminal once a day to understand your threat landscape. The Sovereign-Alert-Integrator bridges the gap between the endpoint and the Commander. By utilizing an encrypted webhook to push notifications to services like Pushover, Telegram, or Slack, you receive a “Kill-Confirmation” the moment a siphoning attempt is neutralized.

 THE SOVEREIGN-ALERT-INTEGRATOR (2026)

Module: OP-COMMAND-SIGNAL | Protocol: Python / HTTPS-Webhook / AES-Payload

Objective: Real-time Mobile Visibility of Autonomous Liquidation Events.

 sovereign_alerts.py

This module integrates with your Watchdog to ensure that every “Purge Event” is recorded and reported to your command center.

Python

import requests
import json
import os
#  CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ COMMAND CONFIG
# Use environment variables for Sovereign secrets
WEBHOOK_URL = os.getenv("SOVEREIGN_COMMAND_WEBHOOK")
DEVICE_ID = "BIVASH-COMMAND-ONE"
def dispatch_purge_signal(file_path, file_hash, machine_name):
    """
    Constructs and sends a Sovereign-Level Alert to the Commander's mobile device.
    """
    payload = {
        "text": f" *SOVEREIGN PURGE COMPLETED*",
        "attachments": [
            {
                "fallback": "Threat Liquidated on Enclave Endpoint.",
                "color": "#FF0000",
                "title": f"Host: {machine_name}",
                "fields": [
                    {"title": "Action", "value": "Atomic Liquidation", "short": True},
                    {"title": "Binary", "value": os.path.basename(file_path), "short": True},
                    {"title": "Hash", "value": f"`{file_hash[:16]}...`", "short": False},
                    {"title": "Path", "value": f"`{file_path}`", "short": False}
                ],
                "footer": "CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ AUTHORITY SIGNAL",
                "ts": os.path.getmtime(file_path) if os.path.exists(file_path) else None
            }
        ]
    }
    try:
        response = requests.post(
            WEBHOOK_URL, 
            data=json.dumps(payload),
            headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
            timeout=5
        )
        if response.status_code == 200:
            print(" [SIGNAL DISPATCHED] Alert sent to Commander.")
        else:
            print(f" [SIGNAL DROPPED] Webhook returned status: {response.status_code}")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f" [COMM-FAILURE] Could not reach Command Center: {e}")
# Logic integrated into the Sovereign-Watchdog.on_created event

THE 2026 COMMAND RIGOR

CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Alert-Fatigue” syndrome is avoided by only alerting on Hard-Actions. We don’t alert on “suspicious activity”—we alert on Liquidation. When your phone buzzes, it’s not a warning; it’s a Battle Report. It tells you that your enclave defended itself and is now clean. In 2026, the best alert is the one that says the work is already done.

SECURE THE COMMAND CHANNEL

The Webhook URL is a “Write-Only” key to your private alert channel.

I recommend the YubiKey 5Ci for your command mobile device. By requiring a physical tap via the Lightning or USB-C port on your phone to unlock the Secure Messaging App where these alerts arrive, you ensure that even if your mobile device is physically compromised, your Sovereign Intel remains unreadable to the adversary.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, seeing a list of IPs is basic telemetry. Seeing a Sovereign Heat-Map is strategic intelligence. By aggregating your purge alerts into a visual coordinate system, you can identify if the Notepad++ Siphons are localized to a specific office branch, a remote developer cluster, or a particular department.

The Sovereign-Threat-Map uses Python and Folium to generate an interactive HTML dashboard. It maps your “Purge Events” using color-coded intensity markers: Green for baseline, Yellow for localized clusters, and Radiating Red for an active siphoning campaign.

 THE SOVEREIGN-THREAT-MAP (2026)

Module: OP-VISUAL-INTEL | Protocol: Python / Folium / Leaflet.js

Objective: Real-time Geospatial Aggregation of Liquidation Events.

 sovereign_map.py

This engine transforms your JSON alert logs into a high-fidelity visual dashboard.

Python

import folium

from folium.plugins import HeatMap
import json
#  CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ INTEL DATA (Feb 2026)
# Example data aggregated from your Sovereign-Alert-Integrator
PURGE_EVENTS = [
    {"loc": [40.7128, -74.0060], "count": 12, "office": "NYC HQ"},
    {"loc": [34.0522, -118.2437], "count": 5, "office": "LA Branch"},
    {"loc": [51.5074, -0.1278], "count": 22, "office": "London Enclave"}, #  High Activity
    {"loc": [12.9716, 77.5946], "count": 8, "office": "Bengaluru Hub"}
]
def generate_sovereign_map():
    print(" CYBERDUDEBIVASH: RENDERING THREAT HEAT-MAP...")
    
    # 1. INITIALIZE SOVEREIGN VIEW (World Map)
    m = folium.Map(location=[20, 0], zoom_start=2, tiles="cartodbpositron")
    
    # 2. PREPARE HEAT-MAP DATA
    heat_data = [[e["loc"][0], e["loc"][1], e["count"]] for e in PURGE_EVENTS]
    
    # 3. OVERLAY HEAT INTENSITY
    HeatMap(heat_data, radius=15, blur=10, min_opacity=0.5).add_to(m)
    
    # 4. ADD INTERACTIVE ENCLAVE MARKERS
    for event in PURGE_EVENTS:
        folium.CircleMarker(
            location=event["loc"],
            radius=event["count"] / 2 + 5,
            popup=f" {event['office']}<br> Purges: {event['count']}",
            color="#FF0000" if event["count"] > 10 else "#FFA500",
            fill=True
        ).add_to(m)
    # 5. EXPORT THE DASHBOARD
    m.save("Sovereign_Threat_Map.html")
    print(" [RENDERED] Sovereign_Threat_Map.html generated.")
if __name__ == "__main__":
    generate_sovereign_map()

 THE 2026 STRATEGIC RIGOR

CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Localized-Siphon” data shows that attackers often target specific regional offices that they perceive as having lower security oversight. In 2026, CYBERDUDEBIVASH mandates Global Visibility. If your threat map shows a red cluster in Bengaluru while NYC is green, you don’t just patch software—you investigate the Physical Security and Network Egress rules of that specific site. Data tells you what happened; maps tell you where the war is being fought.

SECURE THE COMMAND DASHBOARD

Access to the Sovereign-Threat-Map is a “Grade-A” secret. It exposes your infrastructure’s weak points.

I recommend the YubiKey 5C NFC for your regional leads. By requiring a physical tap to view the Sovereign_Threat_Map.html, you ensure that your strategic response plan remains protected from the very siphons you are tracking.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

In February 2026, “Location-Aware Security” is the only way to protect a mobile workforce. If a developer laptop connects to a network in a high-intensity Red Zone—where the Notepad++ siphons or BGP hijacks are peak—standard security is insufficient. We must engage Maximum-Hardening Mode.

The Sovereign-Travel-Enforcement script acts as a Geofenced-Lockdown. It detects the host’s public IP, correlates it with your Sovereign-Threat-Map, and if the risk threshold is exceeded, it executes an atomic lockdown: killing all non-essential ports, forcing a hardware-attested VPN tunnel, and disabling all external USB storage.

THE SOVEREIGN-TRAVEL-ENFORCEMENT (2026)

Module: OP-GEOFENCE-LOCKDOWN | Protocol: PowerShell / Geo-IP / VPN-Force

Objective: Context-Aware Hardening for Laptops in High-Risk Zones.

 SovereignTravelLock.ps1

This engine runs on every network-change event to ensure the “Security Envelope” matches the “Physical Territory.”

PowerShell

# CYBERDUDEBIVASH™ SOVEREIGN TRAVEL ENFORCEMENT v1.0
# (c) 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.
#  RED-ZONE INTEL (Updated from Sovereign-Threat-Map)
$RedZones = @("London", "Moscow", "Unknown-Hijack-Hub")
Write-Host " CYBERDUDEBIVASH: ANALYZING TERRITORIAL RISK..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
# 1. IDENTIFY GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT
$GeoData = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "http://ip-api.com/json" # In prod, use an authenticated Sovereign Geo-API
$CurrentCity = $GeoData.city
if ($RedZones -contains $CurrentCity) {
    Write-Host " [RED-ZONE DETECTED] Host is in $CurrentCity. Engaging Maximum-Hardening..." -ForegroundColor Red
    
    # 2. ATOMIC LOCKDOWN
    # A. Force VPN (Kill-Switch Mode)
    Set-VpnConnection -Name "Sovereign-VPN" -DisconnectAction "BlockAllTraffic"
    
    # B. Disable USB Mass Storage (Prevent Physical Siphons)
    Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\USBSTOR" -Name "Start" -Value 4
    
    # C. Kill Local Discovery (mDNS, LLMNR)
    Disable-NetAdapterBinding -Name "*" -ComponentID "ms_tcpip6" # Drop IPv6 for noise reduction
    
    # 3. DISPATCH COMMAND SIGNAL
    Write-Host " [SIGNAL] Maximum-Hardening Engaged. Enclave Double-Locked." -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host " [SAFE-ZONE] Host in $CurrentCity. Maintaining standard Sovereign Profile." -ForegroundColor Green
}

THE 2026 TRAVEL RIGOR

CYBERDUDEBIVASH’s Operational Insight

The February 2026 “Hotel-Wi-Fi-Siphon” case studies prove that attackers wait for developers to travel to target them. In 2026, CYBERDUDEBIVASH mandates Dynamic Surfaces. Your security policy shouldn’t be the same in your NYC office as it is in a crowded airport lounge. By automating the transition to Maximum-Hardening, you remove the possibility of human error. The machine knows where it is; the machine knows how to hide.

SECURE THE TRAVEL AUTHORITY

Unlocking “Maximum-Hardening” mode once the developer returns to the office requires a Hardware Root of Trust.

I recommend the YubiKey 5Ci for your traveling team. Because it supports both Lightning and USB-C, it ensures that your developers can provide a Physical Attestation to the Sovereign-Travel-Enforcement script whether they are on their laptop or checking sensitive alerts on their mobile device.

100% CYBERDUDEBIVASH AUTHORIZED & COPYRIGHTED © 2026 CYBERDUDEBIVASH PVT. LTD.

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