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8.6
NLTK versions 3.9.2 and earlier can read unauthorized files
CVE-2026-0847
Summary
If you're using NLTK to process user-controlled files, an attacker could access sensitive files on your server, including system files, private keys, or API tokens. This could lead to unauthorized access or even allow an attacker to take control of your server. Update NLTK to a version newer than 3.9.2 to fix this issue.
Original title
A vulnerability in NLTK versions up to and including 3.9.2 allows arbitrary file read via path traversal in multiple CorpusReader classes, including WordListCorpusReader, TaggedCorpusReader, and Br...
Original description
A vulnerability in NLTK versions up to and including 3.9.2 allows arbitrary file read via path traversal in multiple CorpusReader classes, including WordListCorpusReader, TaggedCorpusReader, and BracketParseCorpusReader. These classes fail to properly sanitize or validate file paths, enabling attackers to traverse directories and access sensitive files on the server. This issue is particularly critical in scenarios where user-controlled file inputs are processed, such as in machine learning APIs, chatbots, or NLP pipelines. Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files, including system files, SSH private keys, and API tokens, and may potentially escalate to remote code execution when combined with other vulnerabilities.
nvd CVSS3.0
8.6
Vulnerability type
CWE-22
Path Traversal
Published: 4 Mar 2026 · Updated: 13 Mar 2026 · First seen: 6 Mar 2026