NLTK versions before 3.10.0 contain a logic bug in FileSystemPathPointer.open() where the sandbox validation check compares a normalized path against itself, making the security check permanently inert. Attackers can pass file:// URLs to nltk.data.load() to read arbitrary files accessible to the process user, including credentials and configuration files.

Project Subscriptions

Vendors Products
Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-72r2-7mfr-5xr9 NLTK: FileSystemPathPointer.open() sandbox check is dead code — arbitrary file read via file:// protocol
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-22
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

threat_severity

Moderate


Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Sat, 22 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description NLTK versions before 3.10.0 contain a logic bug in FileSystemPathPointer.open() where the sandbox validation check compares a normalized path against itself, making the security check permanently inert. Attackers can pass file:// URLs to nltk.data.load() to read arbitrary files accessible to the process user, including credentials and configuration files.
Title NLTK before 3.10.0 Arbitrary File Read via FileSystemPathPointer
First Time appeared Nltk
Nltk nltk
Weaknesses CWE-284
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:nltk:nltk:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Nltk
Nltk nltk
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 7.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-24T19:20:52.747Z

Reserved: 2026-07-23T12:51:09.595Z

Link: CVE-2026-65915

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-08-24T19:20:17.371Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-08-22T15:16:19.500

Modified: 2026-08-31T18:39:00.647

Link: CVE-2026-65915

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-08-22T14:12:41Z

Links: CVE-2026-65915 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-28T19:15:05Z

Weaknesses