Vulnerability in Yt-Dlp
CVE-2026-55404
yt-dlp and youtube-dl are command-line audio/video downloaders. Prior to 2026.7.4, the --write-link, --write-url-link, and --write-desktop-link options can write .url or .desktop shortcut files using attacker-controlled webpage_url or filename metadata without sufficient validation or escaping, allowing malicious file:// URI injection on Windows or newline-based desktop entry key injection on Linux that can execute commands if the generated shortcut is opened. This issue is fixed in version 2026.7.4.
Published · last modified .
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 7.5 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
EPSS exploit prediction
EPSS: 0.006 (49.1th percentile), scored .
Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 49th percentile — 49.1% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.
EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.004 · newest: 0.006 · change: +0.002
Affected products
- Yt-Dlp — versions < 2026.7.4
- Yt-Dlp Project
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
- github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/security/advisories/GHSA-6v4j-43gg-vj32 (Mitigation, Vendor Advisory)
- github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/commit/b6590aaa1e3808155d69c9a79a797ae484163789 (Patch)
- github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/tag/2026.07.04 (Product, Release Notes)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-55404?
- CVE-2026-55404 is a high-severity vulnerability in Yt-Dlp, classified under Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component (Injection). CVSS score: 7.5/10. Published 2026-07-08.
- How severe is CVE-2026-55404?
- High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.5 out of 10.