CVE-2023-46121Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Request interception via smuggled proxy headers

Published Nov 14, 2023 · Updated Aug 29, 2024

External configuration control in yt-dlp 2022.10.04 through 2023.11.13 allows remote attackers to intercept Generic Extractor requests. GenericIE merged a URL-fragment http_headers dictionary into an outbound request, permitting internal proxy headers to select an attacker-controlled proxy. Exploitation requires processing a malicious site's crafted URL; exposed nonsecure cookies can be read and arbitrary-site cookies can be set.

CVSS severity5.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

External configuration control in yt-dlp 2022.10.04 through 2023.11.13 allows remote attackers to intercept Generic Extractor requests. GenericIE merged a URL-fragment http_headers dictionary into an outbound request, permitting internal proxy headers to select an attacker-controlled proxy. Exploitation requires processing a malicious site's crafted URL; exposed nonsecure cookies can be read and arbitrary-site cookies can be set.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-46121
Published
Nov 14, 2023
Updated
Aug 29, 2024
Vendor
yt-dlp
Product
yt-dlp
Classifications
CWE-15, T1557
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 29, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=>= 2022.10.04, < 2023.11.14

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

yt-dlp · yt-dlpversion=>= 2022.10.04, < 2023.11.14

Published CVSS scores

5.0GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-15External Control of System or Configuration Setting
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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