yt-dlp: Arbitrary command injection possible if --exec option used with yt-dlp

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

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

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary yt-dlp's --exec option is vulnerable to arbitrary command injection when handling untrusted metadata if the argument uses standard string formatting (e.g. %(title)s) or other unsafe conversions. An attacker could achieve remote code execution on the user's machine via maliciously crafted metadata containing quotes or other special shell characters. Details Since yt-dlp version 2021.04.11, the --exec option has supported "output template syntax", which is a superset of Python's printf-style string formatting also used by the --output option. This means the user is able to pass a "command template" as an argument to the --exec option which will be executed by the user's shell. The command template allows for the downloaded video's metadata to be interpolated into the command string. yt-dlp implements a %()q conversion, which will shell-quote/escape any metadata value such that it is safe to be interpolated into a command string. However, there are unsafe conversions such as…

Published by the source

16 Jun 2026, 22:29 UTC

Last modified by the source

16 Jun 2026, 22:45 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:45 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-69qj-pvh9-c5wg

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-69qj-pvh9-c5wg

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-69qj-pvh9-c5wg

Advisory: yt-dlp: Arbitrary command injection possible if --exec option used with yt-dlp
IDs: GHSA-69qj-pvh9-c5wg
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-69qj-pvh9-c5wg (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:45 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: yt-dlp 2026.6.9. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI yt-dlp: affected >= 2021.4.11, < 2026.6.9; fixed in 2026.6.9

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show yt-dlp`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on yt-dlp.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-69qj-pvh9-c5wg (OSV record GHSA-69qj-pvh9-c5wg lists affected ranges: PyPI yt-dlp >=2021.4.11 <2026.6.9 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-69qj-pvh9-c5wg (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-69qj-pvh9-c5wg lists affected ranges: PyPI yt-dlp >=2021.4.11 <2026.6.9)

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