CVE-2026-40491: gdown is a Google Drive public file/folder downloader

Q: How do I fix CVE-2026-40491?

gdown: upgrade to 5.2.2. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2026-40491 being exploited?

CVE-2026-40491 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2026-40491 affect?

CVE-2026-40491 affects gdown. Severity is medium (CVSS 6.5). gdown is a Google Drive public file/folder downloader. Versions prior to 5.2.2 are vulnerable to a Path Traversal attack within the extractall functionality. When extracting a maliciously crafted ZIP or TAR archive, the library fails to san

Q: How urgent is CVE-2026-40491?

Priority 40/100. Public exploit reference

This month

MEDIUM 6.5UPGRADE

CVE-2026-40491 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.5) affecting gdown. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

gdown is a Google Drive public file/folder downloader. Versions prior to 5.2.2 are vulnerable to a Path Traversal attack within the extractall functionality. When extracting a maliciously crafted ZIP or TAR archive, the library fails to sanitize or validate the filenames of the archive members. This allow files to be written outside the intended destination directory, potentially leading to arbitrary file overwrite and Remote Code Execution (RCE)

Why this priority

Public exploit reference

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	6.5 (Medium)
Attack vector	Network (remote)
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	None
User interaction	Required
EPSS exploit chance	0.6% (top 53%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-22
Published	2026-04-18
Last modified	2026-10-26

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: wkentaro

Last updated 2026-10-26 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2026-04-18 03:16 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-10-26 21:10 UTCUpdated Record last modified

wkentaro gdown UPGRADE

Affected: < 5.2.2

Fixed in: 5.2.2

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy gdown || rpm -q gdown || gdown --version

2. UPGRADE to 5.2.2 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade gdown

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade gdown

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2026-40491?

gdown: upgrade to 5.2.2. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2026-40491 being exploited?

CVE-2026-40491 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2026-40491 affect?

CVE-2026-40491 affects gdown. Severity is medium (CVSS 6.5). gdown is a Google Drive public file/folder downloader. Versions prior to 5.2.2 are vulnerable to a Path Traversal attack within the extractall functionality. When extracting a maliciously crafted ZIP or TAR archive, the library fails to san

How urgent is CVE-2026-40491?

Priority 40/100. Public exploit reference

References

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