Summary
NLTK CrubadanCorpusReader path traversal allows arbitrary file disclosure
NLTK 3.9.4 through 3.10.2 contains a path traversal vulnerability in CrubadanCorpusReader. _load_lang_ngrams joins the corpus root with crubadan_code, the column-0 value read from the corpus table.txt mapping file, and opens the result with the builtin open() rather than the pathsec-validated opener, so os.path.join discards the root when that value is absolute and the read escapes the corpus directory without the containment check nltk.pathsec applies when ENFORCE is set. An attacker who controls a corpus package can disclose file contents outside the corpus root through lang_freq, limited to paths ending in -3grams.txt whose contents parse as token count lines.
Impact
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
CVE-2026-71514 has a CVSS score of 2.5 (Low). The vector is requires local access, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.10.3); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-71514? CVE-2026-71514 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in nltk (pip), affecting versions >= 3.9.4, < 3.10.3. It is fixed in 3.10.3. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- How severe is CVE-2026-71514? CVE-2026-71514 has a CVSS score of 2.5 (Low). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of nltk are affected by CVE-2026-71514? nltk (pip) versions >= 3.9.4, < 3.10.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-71514? Yes. CVE-2026-71514 is fixed in 3.10.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-71514 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-71514 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-71514 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-71514? Upgrade
nltkto 3.10.3 or later.