CVE-2026-54293

NLTK (Natural Language Toolkit) is a suite of open source Python modules, data sets, and tutorials supporting research and development in Natural Language Processing. Prior to 3.10.0-rc1, nltk.data.load() in NLTK is vulnerable to path traversal via URL-encoded path separators and traversal segments when using the nltk: URL scheme. The unsafe-path regex check is performed before url2pathname() decodes the %xx sequences (a classic decode-after-check / TOCTOU-style flaw), allowing an attacker to bypass the protection documented in NLTK's SECURITY.md and read arbitrary files from the filesystem. While literal traversal strings such as ../../../etc/passwd are correctly blocked, encoded variants such as %2fetc%2fpasswd, %2e%2e%2f..., and ..%2f..%2f slip past the regex and are subsequently decoded into a real filesystem path. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.10.0-rc1.
Configurations

Configuration 1 (hide)

cpe:2.3:a:nltk:nltk:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

History

21 Jul 2026, 12:18

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
  • () https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:42644 -

30 Jun 2026, 03:21

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
  • () https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-54293 -
  • () https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2491486 -
  • () https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-54293.json -

26 Jun 2026, 20:06

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time Nltk
Nltk nltk
References () https://github.com/nltk/nltk/pull/3575 - () https://github.com/nltk/nltk/pull/3575 - Issue Tracking, Patch
References () https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-p4gq-832x-fm9v - () https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-p4gq-832x-fm9v - Exploit, Vendor Advisory
CPE cpe:2.3:a:nltk:nltk:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

22 Jun 2026, 22:16

Type Values Removed Values Added
References () https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-p4gq-832x-fm9v - () https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-p4gq-832x-fm9v -

22 Jun 2026, 19:17

Type Values Removed Values Added
New CVE

Information

Published : 2026-06-22 19:17

Updated : 2026-07-21 12:18


NVD link : CVE-2026-54293

Mitre link : CVE-2026-54293

CVE.ORG link : CVE-2026-54293


JSON object : View

Products Affected

nltk

  • nltk
CWE
CWE-22

Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')