Arbitrary XML file read via unsafe reader paths
Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 22, 2026
Path traversal in NLTK before 3.10.0 allows remote attackers to read XML files outside configured corpus roots via reader selectors. FramenetCorpusReader frame_by_name, doc, and lu and NKJPCorpusReader header construct raw XML paths from unvalidated selectors, index filenames, LU identifiers, or file identifiers without enforcing root containment. Exploitation requires an application to pass attacker-influenced FrameNet or NKJP selectors or state, and disclosure is limited to readable, parseable XML returned by those APIs.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in NLTK before 3.10.0 allows remote attackers to read XML files outside configured corpus roots via reader selectors. FramenetCorpusReader frame_by_name, doc, and lu and NKJPCorpusReader header construct raw XML paths from unvalidated selectors, index filenames, LU identifiers, or file identifiers without enforcing root containment. Exploitation requires an application to pass attacker-influenced FrameNet or NKJP selectors or state, and disclosure is limited to readable, parseable XML returned by those APIs.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-62385
- Published
- Aug 22, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 22, 2026
- Vendor
- NLTK Project
- Product
- NLTK
- Classifications
- CWE-73, T1005
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 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=0 <3.10.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Public exploit references
- GHSA-568f-pv23-39p4 reader-path proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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