yt-dlp prior 2023.09.24.003044 os command injection

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.0$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in yt-dlp. This impacts an unknown function. Such manipulation leads to os command injection. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2023-40581. The attack can be executed remotely. There is not any exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component. It looks like this entry received a duplicate CVE-2024-22423.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in yt-dlp (Multimedia Processing Software). It has been rated as critical. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a os command injection vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-78. The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

yt-dlp is a youtube-dl fork with additional features and fixes. yt-dlp allows the user to provide shell command lines to be executed at various stages in its download steps through the `--exec` flag. This flag allows output template expansion in its argument, so that metadata values may be used in the shell commands. The metadata fields can be combined with the `%q` conversion, which is intended to quote/escape these values so they can be safely passed to the shell. However, the escaping used for `cmd` (the shell used by Python's `subprocess` on Windows) does not properly escape special characters, which can allow for remote code execution if `--exec` is used directly with maliciously crafted remote data. This vulnerability only impacts `yt-dlp` on Windows, and the vulnerability is present regardless of whether `yt-dlp` is run from `cmd` or from `PowerShell`. Support for output template expansion in `--exec`, along with this vulnerable behavior, was added to `yt-dlp` in version 2021.04.11. yt-dlp version 2023.09.24 fixes this issue by properly escaping each special character. `\n` will be replaced by `\r` as no way of escaping it has been found. It is recommended to upgrade yt-dlp to version 2023.09.24 as soon as possible. Also, always be careful when using --exec, because while this specific vulnerability has been patched, using unvalidated input in shell commands is inherently dangerous. For Windows users who are not able to upgrade: 1. Avoid using any output template expansion in --exec other than {} (filepath). 2. If expansion in --exec is needed, verify the fields you are using do not contain ", | or &. 3. Instead of using --exec, write the info json and load the fields from it instead.

The weakness was released 09/26/2023 as GHSA-42h4-v29r-42qg. The advisory is available at github.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2023-40581 since 08/16/2023. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not available. This vulnerability is assigned to T1202 by the MITRE ATT&CK project.

Upgrading to version 2023.09.24.003044 eliminates this vulnerability. The upgrade is hosted for download at github.com. Applying the patch de015e930747165dbb8fcd360f8775fd973b7d6e is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at github.com. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

Name

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.0

VulDB Base Score: 5.0
VulDB Temp Score: 4.8
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CNA Base Score: 8.3
CNA Vector (GitHub, Inc.): 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Os command injection
CWE: CWE-78 / CWE-77 / CWE-74
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: yt-dlp 2023.09.24.003044
Patch: de015e930747165dbb8fcd360f8775fd973b7d6e

Timelineinfo

08/16/2023 🔍
09/25/2023 +40 days 🔍
09/26/2023 +0 days 🔍
04/16/2026 +933 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Product: github.com

Advisory: GHSA-42h4-v29r-42qg
Status: Confirmed

CNA: GitHub, Inc.
CVE: CVE-2023-40581 (🔍)
CVE Duplicate: 🔍

GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-40581
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-240326

Entryinfo

Created: 09/26/2023 01:03
Updated: 04/16/2026 20:42
Changes: 09/26/2023 01:03 (52), 10/16/2023 10:01 (11), 04/09/2024 20:54 (15), 04/21/2025 19:24 (4), 04/16/2026 20:42 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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