CVE-2024-22423Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary command execution via percent expansion in --exec

Published Apr 9, 2024 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Command injection in yt-dlp 2021.04.11 through versions before 2024.04.09 allows remote attackers to execute commands through crafted metadata. The Windows compat_shlex_quote routine doubles quotation marks but leaves percent signs intact, so %CMDCMDLINE:~-1% expansion creates a quote that exposes shell metacharacters. Exploitation requires a user to run --exec with %q against attacker-controlled metadata; injected commands execute with that user's privileges.

CVSS severity8.3
High
EPSS probability1.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in yt-dlp 2021.04.11 through versions before 2024.04.09 allows remote attackers to execute commands through crafted metadata. The Windows compat_shlex_quote routine doubles quotation marks but leaves percent signs intact, so %CMDCMDLINE:~-1% expansion creates a quote that exposes shell metacharacters. Exploitation requires a user to run --exec with %q against attacker-controlled metadata; injected commands execute with that user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-22423
Published
Apr 9, 2024
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
yt-dlp
Product
yt-dlp
Classifications
CWE-78, T1059.003
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 9, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record 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=>= 2021.04.11, < 2024.04.09

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

yt-dlp · yt-dlpversion=>= 2021.04.11, < 2024.04.09

Published CVSS scores

8.3GitHubCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1059.003Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell

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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