CVE-2026-55404
Description
A flaw was found in yt-dlp and youtube-dl, command-line tools for downloading audio and video. This vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious code into shortcut files (.url or .desktop) when certain options, such as --write-link, are used. By manipulating the webpage_url or filename metadata, an attacker can craft a shortcut that, when opened by an unsuspecting user, could lead to the execution of arbitrary commands on their system. This could result in unauthorized access or control over the affected machine.
Statement
Red Hat Product Security has determined that this vulnerability does not affect any currently supported Red Hat product. This assessment may evolve based on further analysis and discovery. For more information about this vulnerability and the products it affects, please see the linked references.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality,Integrity,Availability,Non-Repudiation
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; Read Files or Directories; Modify Files or Directories; Read Application Data; Modify Application Data; Hide Activities
Attackers could execute unauthorized operating system commands, which could then be used to disable the product, or read and modify data for which the attacker does not have permissions to access directly. Since the targeted application is directly executing the commands instead of the attacker, any malicious activities may appear to come from the application or the application's owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
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