Description
yt-dlp is a command-line audio/video downloader. Starting in version 2023.06.21 and prior to version 2026.02.21, when yt-dlp's `--netrc-cmd` command-line option (or `netrc_cmd` Python API parameter) is used, an attacker could achieve arbitrary command injection on the user's system with a maliciously crafted URL. yt-dlp maintainers assume the impact of this vulnerability to be high for anyone who uses `--netrc-cmd` in their command/configuration or `netrc_cmd` in their Python scripts. Even though the maliciously crafted URL itself will look very suspicious to many users, it would be trivial for a maliciously crafted webpage with an inconspicuous URL to covertly exploit this vulnerability via HTTP redirect. Users without `--netrc-cmd` in their arguments or `netrc_cmd` in their scripts are unaffected. No evidence has been found of this exploit being used in the wild. yt-dlp version 2026.02.21 fixes this issue by validating all netrc "machine" values and raising an error upon unexpected input. As a workaround, users who are unable to upgrade should avoid using the `--netrc-cmd` command-line option (or `netrc_cmd` Python API parameter), or they should at least not pass a placeholder (`{}`) in their `--netrc-cmd` argument.
Published: 2026-02-24
Score: 8.8 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: Arbitrary Command Execution in yt-dlp via the "--netrc-cmd" option
Action: Patch
AI Analysis

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-g3gw-q23r-pgqm yt-dlp: Arbitrary Command Injection when using the `--netrc-cmd` option
History

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 19:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Yt-dlp Project
Yt-dlp Project yt-dlp
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:yt-dlp_project:yt-dlp:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Yt-dlp Project
Yt-dlp Project yt-dlp

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Important


Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Yt-dlp
Yt-dlp yt-dlp
Vendors & Products Yt-dlp
Yt-dlp yt-dlp

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 03:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description yt-dlp is a command-line audio/video downloader. Starting in version 2023.06.21 and prior to version 2026.02.21, when yt-dlp's `--netrc-cmd` command-line option (or `netrc_cmd` Python API parameter) is used, an attacker could achieve arbitrary command injection on the user's system with a maliciously crafted URL. yt-dlp maintainers assume the impact of this vulnerability to be high for anyone who uses `--netrc-cmd` in their command/configuration or `netrc_cmd` in their Python scripts. Even though the maliciously crafted URL itself will look very suspicious to many users, it would be trivial for a maliciously crafted webpage with an inconspicuous URL to covertly exploit this vulnerability via HTTP redirect. Users without `--netrc-cmd` in their arguments or `netrc_cmd` in their scripts are unaffected. No evidence has been found of this exploit being used in the wild. yt-dlp version 2026.02.21 fixes this issue by validating all netrc "machine" values and raising an error upon unexpected input. As a workaround, users who are unable to upgrade should avoid using the `--netrc-cmd` command-line option (or `netrc_cmd` Python API parameter), or they should at least not pass a placeholder (`{}`) in their `--netrc-cmd` argument.
Title yt-dlp: Arbitrary Command Injection when using the `--netrc-cmd` option
Weaknesses CWE-78
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


Subscriptions

Yt-dlp Yt-dlp
Yt-dlp Project Yt-dlp
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-02-24T20:08:47.720Z

Reserved: 2026-02-13T16:27:51.810Z

Link: CVE-2026-26331

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-02-24T20:08:37.464Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-02-24T03:16:01.710

Modified: 2026-02-25T19:32:30.417

Link: CVE-2026-26331

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Important

Publid Date: 2026-02-24T02:23:40Z

Links: CVE-2026-26331 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-04-17T16:00:11Z

Weaknesses