high · 8.6 Patched

NLTK: WekaClassifier passes an unvalidated caller-controlled model path to the weka JVM, bypassing nltk.pathsec containment

CVE-2026-109956 · GHSA-j456-xh4h-cpf2 · published 13 Oct 2026

How serious is it

  • Severity: high, CVSS score 8.6 out of 10.
  • No exploit prediction (EPSS) score yet.
  • Not on the CISA list of exploited vulnerabilities.
  • No public exploit in Exploit-DB.

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Who is affected

  • nltk (PyPI) <= 3.10.3

How to check

  1. Run pip show nltk in your project to see the installed version, including copies pulled in by other packages.
  2. Or paste your lockfile into the checker: it lists every package with a known vulnerability, this one included.
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How to fix

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  1. Upgrade nltk to 3.10.4 or later, commit the lockfile and redeploy.
  2. If a vulnerable version was live, check your logs and rotate the secrets that server could read.

The advisory

## Summary `WekaClassifier` in NLTK passes a caller-controlled model file path to the weka Java VM without any `nltk.pathsec` validation. `WekaClassifier.train` puts the caller's `model_filename` verbatim into the weka argv `["-d", model_filename, ...]` (weka *writes* the trained model there), and `WekaClassifier._classify_many` puts `self._model` into `["-l", self._model, ...]` (weka *reads* it). Under `nltk.pathsec.ENFORCE=True` (the default on current HEAD), NLTK's stated invariant — established by advisory CVE-2026-81726 / GHSA-8mgp-746c-j5xp — is that caller-controlled model-artifact paths must be bounded to the allowed NLTK data roots before any native tool opens them. `WekaClassifier` is the one `java()`-based tool wrapper that skips this entirely, giving an untrusted workflow arbitrary-location file **write** (`-d`) and an arbitrary file **read/parse oracle** (`-l`), defeating pathsec containment. This is a standalone, unfixed variant of the same class as CVE-2026-81726, on a code path the CVE-2026-81726 fix never touched. That advisory enumerates 6 functions (`TransitionParser.train`, `TransitionParser.parse`, `AveragedPerceptron.save`, `AveragedPerceptron.load`, `PerceptronTagger.save_to_json`, `save_maxent_params`) — `WekaClassifier` is not among them, and weka.py contains no `validate_tool_path`/`validate_model_resource` at all. ## Root Cause `WekaClassifier.train(cls, model_filename, ...)` builds `cmd = [javaclass, "-d", model_filename, "-t", train_filename]` (nltk/classify/weka.py:256) and `WekaClassifier._classify_many` builds `[..., "-l", self._model, "-T", <staged>, ...]` (weka.py:131-133); `self._model` is stored unvalidated in `__init__` (weka.py:108-110). Only the internally-generated `train.arff`/`test.arff` are staged via `make_staging_dir`; the model path is passed as-is. `nltk.internals.java()` (internals.py:388-431) validates the classpath (`_verify_jar_sandbox`), the JVM launcher options (`_validate_java_options`, the CVE-2026-12841 fix), the main-class token `cmd[0]`, and rejects `@argfile` tokens in any position — but it explicitly permits program arguments starting with `-` and never inspects the interior of a program-arg path value. So `-d <path>` / `-l <path>` flow unchecked to `subprocess.Popen(final_cmd, shell=False)` and the weka JVM performs an unbounded native open/write on the caller-chosen path. Sibling wrappers prove the intended pattern: `CRFTagger.train`/`set_model_file` call `validate_tool_path` (crf.py:134,300); `MaltParser.generate_malt_command` validates `-i`/`-o` via `validate_tool_path` (malt.py:340,344), its model via `validate_model_resource` (malt.py:326) and `working_dir` via `validate_path` (malt.py:206). weka.py already uses pathsec elsewhere (`validate_path` for WEKAHOME, `pathsec_open` for ARFF writes) but never for the model path. ## Impact Under `pathsec.ENFORCE=True` (default on HEAD), an untrusted workflow that chooses the weka model save/load path obtains: - Arbitrary-location file **write** via `-d` — overwrite or create a file at an attacker-chosen absolute or `..`-traversal path outside the allowed NLTK data roots (content constrained to weka's serialized-model format; the target choice is the integrity impact). This corrupts/clobbers arbitrary chosen files. - Arbitrary file **read/parse oracle** via `-l` — weka loads an out-of-root path as a model, yielding an existence/parse differential (file content is not echoed back → confidentiality impact is limited). This defeats the pathsec containment advisory CVE-2026-81726 promises, at the same privilege level / threat model that advisory was accepted under. ## Proof of Concept ```python import nltk.pathsec as ps; ps.ENFORCE = True from nltk.classify.weka import WekaClassifier # write-side: model written OUTSIDE any allowed NLTK data root (refused for CRFTagger, allowed here) WekaClassifier.train("/tmp/outside_sandbox/evil.model", [({"a": 1}, "pos"), ({"a": 0}, "neg")]) # read-side: -l opens an arbitrary path clf = WekaClassifier(fmt, "/home/victim/secret.model") clf.classify_many([{"a": 1}]) ``` The argv construction — the vulnerable step — is confirmed without weka installed (see Bypass Evidence); a configured weka.jar is needed only to observe the JVM's actual file I/O. ## Attack Chain 1. **Entry.** Action: an app running with `pathsec.ENFORCE=True` lets an untrusted workflow choose the weka model path and calls `WekaClassifier.train("../../../home/victim/x", featuresets)` (write) or `WekaClassifier(fmt, "/home/victim/secret.model").classify_many(...)` (read). Guard: none — plain classmethod/constructor parameter (weka.py:230,108-110). Bypass proof: grep shows weka.py uses no `validate_tool_path`/`validate_model_resource`/`validate_tool_dir` (NONE). 2. **Command build.** Action: the path is placed into `cmd = [javaclass, "-d", model_filename, "-t", train_filename]` (weka.py:256) / `["-l", self._model, ...]`. Guard: only the internally-generated `train.arff` is staged via `make_staging_dir`; the model path is passed as-is. Bypass proof: runtime capture yielded `['weka.classifiers.bayes.NaiveBayes', '-d', '/tmp/outside_sandbox_weka.model', '-t', '<staged>/train.arff']` — the raw out-of-root path is `cmd[2]`. 3. **java() sink.** Action: `java(cmd, classpath=_weka_classpath, ...)` → `subprocess.Popen(final_cmd)` (internals.py:431). Guard: `java()` validates classpath, JVM `options`, `cmd[0]`, and rejects `@argfile` tokens. Bypass proof: none of these inspect the `-d`/`-l` program-arg value; internals.py explicitly documents that program args after the main class may start with `-`, and the path is neither `cmd[0]` nor an `@`-token, so every `java()` gate passes. Negative control: the same path through `validate_tool_path(..., for_write=True, must_exist=False)` raises `PermissionError`. 4. **Impact.** Action: the weka JVM opens the path outside the allowed roots → arbitrary-location write (`-d`) / parse-existence oracle (`-l`). Guard: pathsec is never co…

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References

Merged from NVD, GitHub Advisory Database, OSV. Last updated 28 Oct 2026. All vulnerabilities · RSS · JSON