# CVE-2026-50574: yt-dlp: Arbitrary code execution via manifest downloads with aria2c

> Attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution by exploiting insufficient input sanitization when using aria2c for manifest downloads.

- **Severity:** High 8.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 23 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-50574, GHSA-vx4q-3cr2-7cg2, PYSEC-2026-3433, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-50574

## What is CVE-2026-50574?

CVE-2026-50574 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in yt-dlp, published on 23 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

yt-dlp is a command-line audio/video downloader. Prior to 2026.06.09, if aria2c is used as an external downloader for a fragmented manifest format (such as an HLS/DASH stream), yt-dlp passes insufficiently sanitized input to aria2c that allows an attacker to perform an arbitrary file write. On Windows platforms, this can lead to immediate arbitrary code execution. On non-Windows platforms, this can lead to arbitrary code execution upon the next invocation of yt-dlp. This vulnerability is fixed in 2026.06.09.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-50574?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including yt-dlp. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `yt-dlp` | PyPI | All versions | 2026.6.9 |
| `yt-dlp` | PyPI | All versions | 2026.6.9 |
| `yt-dlp` | PyPI | All versions | 2026.6.9 |

Products: Yt-Dlp Project Yt-Dlp.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-50574?

Upgrade yt-dlp to 2026.6.9 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-50574 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-50574 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in yt-dlp

- [CVE-2026-26331](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26331/): yt-dlp: Arbitrary Command Injection when using the `--netrc-cmd` option (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-22423](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22423/): yt-dlp `--exec` command injection when using `%q` in yt-dlp on Windows (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2023-40581](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40581/): yt-dlp command injection when using `%q` in `--exec` on Windows (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2026-50023](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50023/): yt-dlp: Dangerous file type creation via insufficient filename sanitization (Bypass of CVE-2024-38519) (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2026-55404](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-55404/): yt-dlp: Downstream command injection via improper sanitization of yt-dlp --write-link output (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-50574 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-50574 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in yt-dlp, published on 23 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-50574 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- yt-dlp (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2026.6.9
- yt-dlp (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2026.6.9
- yt-dlp (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2026.6.9

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50574/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50574/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-50574
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-50574
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-50574

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50574/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.