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NVD / CVE Program· CNA GitHub_M

CVE-2026-55404: yt-dlp: Downstream command injection via improper sanitization of yt-dlp --write-link output

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 35/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.64% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 50.5% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. A user must open a link or visit a page. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: yt-dlp yt-dlp 2026.7.4.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to yt-dlp yt-dlp 2026.7.4 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

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.

HighCVSS 8.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Jul 8, 2026
Updated
Jul 13, 2026
EPSS
0.6% · 50th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

35

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
35 / 40 · 8.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.6%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
8.8
CNA · GitHub_M
7.5
1.3 point gap

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2026-55404

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
yt-dlp projectyt-dlp

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • yt-dlp project yt-dlpbefore 2026.07.04

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • yt-dlp yt-dlp

    • < 2026.7.4affected

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12yt-dlpfrom 0—
Debian:14yt-dlpbefore 2026.07.04-12026.07.04-1
openSUSE:Leap 16.0yt-dlpbefore 2026.08.19-bp160.1.12026.08.19-bp160.1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedyt-dlpbefore 2026.07.04-1.12026.07.04-1.1
PyPIyt-dlpbefore 2026.7.42026.7.4

Same product

yt-dlp project: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2024-22423yt-dlp `--exec` command injection when using `%q` in yt-dlp on Windows
    39Monitor
  • CVE-2026-50574yt-dlp: Arbitrary code execution via manifest downloads with aria2c
    38Monitor
  • CVE-2026-50023yt-dlp: Dangerous file type creation via insufficient filename sanitization (Bypass of CVE-2024-38519)
    38Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-54072Jul 22, 2025 · yt-dlp allows `--exec` command injection when using placeholder on Windows
    32Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-26331Feb 23, 2026 · yt-dlp: Arbitrary Command Injection when using the `--netrc-cmd` option
    36Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-50019Jun 23, 2026 · yt-dlp: File Downloader cookie leak with curl
    29Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
yt-dlp yt-dlp2026.7.4 · descriptionVendor (CNA)
debian:yt-dlp2026.07.04-1 · Debian:14Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:yt-dlp2026.07.04-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
PyPI:yt-dlp2026.7.4Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

  • CVE-2026-5057415 days apartyt-dlp: Arbitrary code execution via manifest downloads with aria2c
    38Monitor

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • A user must open a link or visit a page.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-74 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (2 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records