CVE-2025-54072CWE-78

yt-dlp allows `--exec` command injection when using placeholder on Windows

High · published July 22, 2025

CVSS v3.1
7.5
EPSS
1%
Percentile
48.3
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

yt-dlp is a feature-rich command-line audio/video downloader. In versions 2025.06.25 and below, when the --exec option is used on Windows with the default placeholder (or {}), insufficient sanitization is applied to the expanded filepath, allowing for remote code execution. This is a bypass of the mitigation for CVE-2024-22423 where the default placeholder and {} were not covered by the new escaping rules. Windows users who are unable to upgrade should avoid using --exec altogether. Instead, the --write-info-json or --dump-json options could be used, with an external script or command line consuming the JSON output. This is fixed in version 2025.07.21.

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
7.5 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.00605 · 48.3th percentile
Weakness
CWE-78 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Published
2025-07-22T21:34Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 22 JUL 21:34Z
    yt-dlp allows `--exec` command injection when using placeholder on Windows
    cvelistv5