Vulnerability Description
yt-dlp is a command-line audio/video downloader. Prior to 2026.06.09, a vulnerability exists in yt-dlp that allows a remote attacker to write arbitrary OS-shortcut files (such as .desktop, .url, .webloc) to the user's filesystem, bypassing the remediation for CVE-2024-38519. The allowlist explicitly included the unsafe extensions .desktop, .url, and .webloc so that the functionality of the --write-link option (and its variants) could be preserved. These allowlist inclusions can be exploited by an attacker to write malicious OS-shortcut files in the context of a media or subtitles download. This vulnerability is fixed in 2026.06.09.
CVSS Score
HIGH
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Yt-Dlp Project | Yt-Dlp | < 2026.06.09 |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp-nightly-builds/releases/tag/2026.06.09.230517ProductRelease Notes
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/commit/e578e265f7c6ca94a74b30e0d8d6196a4d19fb6aPatch
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/tag/2026.06.09ProductRelease Notes
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/security/advisories/GHSA-c6mh-fpjc-4pr3ExploitMitigationPatch
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-50023?
CVE-2026-50023 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 8.3 (HIGH). yt-dlp is a command-line audio/video downloader. Prior to 2026.06.09, a vulnerability exists in yt-dlp that allows a remote attacker to write arbitrary OS-shortcut files (such as .desktop, .url, .webl...
How severe is CVE-2026-50023?
CVE-2026-50023 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 8.3/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-50023?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Yt-Dlp Project Yt-Dlp.