CVE-2026-55404: yt-dlp Injection — Fix

Description

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.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.5

HIGH

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

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0064

Probability of exploitation

0.47%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-74 CWE-74

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
yt-dlp_project	yt-dlp	< 2026.07.04

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/commit/b6590aaa1e3808155d69c9a79a797ae484163789 https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/security/advisories/GHSA-6v4j-43gg-vj32

Other References

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/tag/2026.07.04

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 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. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-55404? +

CVE-2026-55404 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0064, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-55404? +

CVE-2026-55404 affects products from yt-dlp_project, specifically: yt-dlp. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-55404? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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