High severity7.8NVD Advisory· Published Aug 25, 2026· Updated Sep 23, 2026
CVE-2026-78680
CVE-2026-78680
Description
NLTK versions before 3.10.3 fail to use validated absolute paths when invoking the Graphviz dot binary in dependencygraph.dot2img and AlignedSent._repr_svg_, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code by placing a malicious dot binary in the search path or current working directory. Attackers can exploit bare-name binary resolution on Windows via the current working directory or on Unix-like systems via relative PATH entries to execute their binary instead of the legitimate Graphviz tool.
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 | < 3.10.3 | 3.10.3 |
Affected products
4- osv-coords3 versions
< 2.7.3-r27+ 2 more
- (no CPE)range: < 2.7.3-r27
- (no CPE)range: < 0.11.3-r1
- (no CPE)range: < 0.11.3-r1
Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
References
6- github.com/advisories/GHSA-6hwm-xvph-95vmghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-78680ghsaADVISORY
- github.com/nltk/nltk/commit/1a3cd1764ab3deb084fb66d0ffb4873717659538ghsaWEB
- github.com/nltk/nltk/releases/tag/v3.10.3ghsaWEB
- github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-6hwm-xvph-95vmnvdWEB
- www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nltk-before-arbitrary-code-execution-via-graphviz-dot-binarynvdWEB
News mentions
2- Nltk Library: 16 Vulnerabilities Including Critical RCE Disclosed in BatchVypr Intelligence · Aug 27, 2026
- Nltk Library: Critical RCE and High-Severity Flaws Disclosed TogetherVypr Intelligence · Aug 25, 2026