Arbitrary file read via decode-after-check traversal
Published Jun 22, 2026 · Updated Jun 22, 2026
Path traversal in NLTK before 3.10.0-rc1 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary local files through crafted nltk: resource URLs. In nltk.data.load(), the unsafe-path regex examines the encoded resource name before url2pathname() decodes percent-encoded separators and traversal segments. Exploitation requires attacker-controlled input to reach the loader, and disclosure is limited to files readable by the application process.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in NLTK before 3.10.0-rc1 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary local files through crafted nltk: resource URLs. In nltk.data.load(), the unsafe-path regex examines the encoded resource name before url2pathname() decodes percent-encoded separators and traversal segments. Exploitation requires attacker-controlled input to reach the loader, and disclosure is limited to files readable by the application process.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-54293
- Published
- Jun 22, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 22, 2026
- Vendor
- NLTK Project
- Product
- NLTK
- Classifications
- CWE-22, T1005
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 22, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 3.10.0-rc1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- NLTK URL-encoded path traversal proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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