Arbitrary code execution via MPV argument injection
Published Jul 22, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025
Command injection in Ankitects Anki 24.04 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending a crafted flashcard. On Windows, Anki passes a card's [sound:...] value directly to MPV as a command-line argument, so --include loads an attacker-supplied configuration that runs a bundled Lua script. Exploitation requires the user to import the deck and its media and play the crafted sound, after which the script executes commands with the user's privileges.
Summary
What happened
Command injection in Ankitects Anki 24.04 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending a crafted flashcard. On Windows, Anki passes a card's [sound:...] value directly to MPV as a command-line argument, so --include loads an attacker-supplied configuration that runs a bundled Lua script. Exploitation requires the user to import the deck and its media and play the crafted sound, after which the script executes commands with the user's privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-26020
- Published
- Jul 22, 2024
- Updated
- Nov 4, 2025
- Vendor
- Ankitects Pty Ltd
- Product
- Anki
- Classifications
- CWE-74, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 22, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 4, 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.
- Affected versionversion=24.04
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Cisco Talos MPV include-option exploit procedurefunctional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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