CVE-2026-55404
High
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.
SeverityHigh
CVSS7.5
Exploit probability—
ProductYt-dlp
PublishedJul 8, 2026
First seenJul 8, 2026
Weakness typeCWE-74Injection
How to fix
Update
- yt-dlp_project yt-dlp2026.07.04 or later
- yt-dlp2026.7.4 or later
Affected products
| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| yt-dlp_project yt-dlp | v < 2026.07.04 | 2026.07.04 |
| yt-dlpPyPI | v < 2026.7.4 | 2026.7.4 |
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