NLTK has a Downloader Path Traversal Vulnerability (AFO) - Arbitrary File Overwrite
Description
NLTK (Natural Language Toolkit) is a suite of open source Python modules, data sets, and tutorials supporting research and development in Natural Language Processing. In versions 3.9.3 and prior, the NLTK downloader does not validate the subdir and id attributes when processing remote XML index files. Attackers can control a remote XML index server to provide malicious values containing path traversal sequences (such as ../), which can lead to arbitrary directory creation, arbitrary file creation, and arbitrary file overwrite. Commit 89fe2ec2c6bae6e2e7a46dad65cc34231976ed8a patches the issue.
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
Affected packages
Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.
| Package | Affected versions | Patched versions |
|---|---|---|
nltkPyPI | <= 3.9.2 | — |
Affected products
10- osv-coords9 versionspkg:apk/chainguard/py3.11-nltkpkg:apk/chainguard/py3.12-nltkpkg:apk/chainguard/py3.13-nltkpkg:apk/chainguard/py3-nltkpkg:apk/wolfi/py3.11-nltkpkg:apk/wolfi/py3.12-nltkpkg:apk/wolfi/py3.13-nltkpkg:apk/wolfi/py3-nltkpkg:pypi/nltk
< 3.9.4-r0+ 8 more
- (no CPE)range: < 3.9.4-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 3.9.4-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 3.9.4-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 3.9.4-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 3.9.4-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 3.9.4-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 3.9.4-r0
- (no CPE)range: < 3.9.4-r0
- (no CPE)range: <= 3.9.2
Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
References
4- github.com/advisories/GHSA-469j-vmhf-r6v7ghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-33236ghsaADVISORY
- github.com/nltk/nltk/commit/89fe2ec2c6bae6e2e7a46dad65cc34231976ed8aghsax_refsource_MISCWEB
- github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-469j-vmhf-r6v7ghsax_refsource_CONFIRMWEB
News mentions
0No linked articles in our index yet.