{"cve":"CVE-2024-38519","nvd":{"published":"2024-07-02T14:15:13.737","modified":"2026-06-17T07:40:27.580","status":"Deferred","description":"`yt-dlp` and `youtube-dl` are command-line audio/video downloaders. Prior to the fixed versions, `yt-dlp` and `youtube-dl` do not limit the extensions of downloaded files, which could lead to arbitrary filenames being created in the download folder (and path traversal on Windows). Since `yt-dlp` and `youtube-dl` also read config from the working directory (and on Windows executables will be executed from the `yt-dlp` or `youtube-dl` directory), this could lead to arbitrary code being executed.\n\n\n\n\n`yt-dlp` version 2024.07.01 fixes this issue by whitelisting the allowed extensions. `youtube-dl` fixes this issue in commit `d42a222` on the `master` branch and in nightly builds tagged 2024-07-03 or later. This might mean some very uncommon extensions might not get downloaded, however it will also limit the possible exploitation surface. In addition to upgrading, have `.%(ext)s` at the end of the output template and make sure the user trusts the websites that they are downloading from. Also, make sure to never download to a directory within PATH or other sensitive locations like one's user directory, `system32`, or other binaries locations. For users who are not able to upgrade, keep the default output template (`-o \"%(title)s [%(id)s].%(ext)s`); make sure the extension of the media to download is a common video/audio/sub/... one; try to avoid the generic extractor; and/or use `--ignore-config --config-location ...` to not load config from common locations.","cvss_v4":null,"cvss_v3":{"version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","score":7.8},"cwes":["CWE-669"],"references":["https://github.com/dirkf/youtube-dl/security/advisories/GHSA-22fp-mf44-f2mq","https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/commit/5ce582448ececb8d9c30c8c31f58330090ced03a","https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/tag/2024.07.01","https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/security/advisories/GHSA-79w7-vh3h-8g4j","https://github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl/commit/d42a222ed541b96649396ef00e19552aef0f09ec"],"products":[],"source":"nvd","synced_at":"2026-10-19T21:52:00.836172422+00:00"},"epss":{"cve":"CVE-2024-38519","score":0.00325,"percentile":0.25546,"date":"2026-10-31"},"kev":null,"osv":[{"id":"GHSA-79w7-vh3h-8g4j","url":"https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-79w7-vh3h-8g4j","summary":"yt-dlp File system modification and RCE through improper file-extension sanitization","modified":"2026-07-07T17:56:26.270897102Z","packages":[{"ecosystem":"PyPI","name":"yt-dlp","purl":"pkg:pypi/yt-dlp","ranges":["<2024.07.01"],"fixed":["2024.07.01"]}]},{"id":"PYSEC-2026-2065","url":"https://osv.dev/vulnerability/PYSEC-2026-2065","summary":"yt-dlp File system modification and RCE through improper file-extension sanitization","modified":"2026-07-07T17:47:49.330190706Z","packages":[{"ecosystem":"PyPI","name":"yt-dlp","purl":"pkg:pypi/yt-dlp","ranges":["<2024.07.01"],"fixed":["2024.07.01"]}]}],"attribution":["This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.","EPSS scores: FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System, https://www.first.org/epss","Known exploited vulnerabilities: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","Package advisories: OSV (https://osv.dev), from the GitHub Advisory Database, PyPA, Go, RustSec and other ecosystem databases, under CC-BY 4.0 or CC0","CVE records: the CVE Program's CVE List (https://www.cve.org), under its terms of use (https://www.cve.org/Legal/TermsOfUse). CVE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation; this product is not affiliated with the CVE Program."]}