NLTK 3.9.4 through 3.10.2 contains a path traversal vulnerability in CrubadanCorpusReader. _load_lang_ngrams joins the corpus root with crubadan_code, the column-0 value read from the corpus table.txt
NLTK 3.9.4 through 3.10.2 contains a path traversal vulnerability in CrubadanCorpusReader. _load_lang_ngrams joins the corpus root with crubadan_code, the column-0 value read from the corpus table.txt mapping file, and opens the result with the builtin open() rather than the pathsec-validated opener, so os.path.join discards the root when that value is absolute and the read escapes the corpus directory without the containment check nltk.pathsec applies when ENFORCE is set. An attacker who controls a corpus package can disclose file contents outside the corpus root through lang_freq, limited to paths ending in -3grams.txt whose contents parse as token count lines.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | nltk | >= 3.9.4, < 3.10.3 | 3.10.3 |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-71514
- https://github.com/nltk/nltk/commit/10d34b3f4fe3fec74b76527a409eb0acbac2e8ab
- https://github.com/nltk/nltk
- https://github.com/nltk/nltk/blob/v3.10.2/nltk/corpus/reader/crubadan.py#L90-L98
- https://github.com/nltk/nltk/releases/tag/v3.10.3
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nltk-through-path-traversal-via-crubadancorpusreader-pathsec-bypass
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cv22-g7mw-8v73
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-22- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
nltk- Disclosed
- 22.08.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 15:18
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-cv22-g7mw-8v73 - CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-3790 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: nltk
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 52
- First → latest
- 08.2019 09.2026
- Without a fix
- 6
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 5
- High 32
- Medium 13
- Low 2
Disclosures per year
- 2019: 1
- 2020: 0
- 2021: 2
- 2022: 1
- 2023: 0
- 2024: 1
- 2025: 0
- 2026: 47
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NLTK 3.9.4 through 3.10.2 contains a path traversal vulnerability in CrubadanCorpusReader. _load_lang_ngrams joins the corpus root with crubadan_code, the column-0 value read from the corpus table.txt this entry
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