Medium severity5.9NVD Advisory· Published Aug 25, 2026· Updated Aug 31, 2026
CVE-2026-79676
CVE-2026-79676
Description
NLTK versions before 3.10.3 contain a path traversal vulnerability in corpus readers that reopen root-derived paths using built-in open() instead of nltk.pathsec.open(), allowing symlinks to escape trusted roots. Attackers who stage symlinked corpus files under a trusted data root can disclose outside-root content through normal corpus reader methods like channels(), domains(), and synonyms().
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
2Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
References
7- github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-p4rw-rvv2-7xwrnvdExploitVendor AdvisoryWEB
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-p4rw-rvv2-7xwrghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-79676ghsaADVISORY
- www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nltk-before-path-traversal-via-symlink-bypassnvdThird Party AdvisoryWEB
- github.com/nltk/nltk/commit/10d34b3f4fe3fec74b76527a409eb0acbac2e8abghsaWEB
- github.com/nltk/nltk/releases/tag/v3.10.3ghsaWEB
- github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/nltk/PYSEC-2026-3737.yamlghsaWEB
News mentions
1- Nltk Library: 16 Vulnerabilities Including Critical RCE Disclosed in BatchVypr Intelligence · Aug 27, 2026