NLTK through 3.8.1 allows remote code execution if untrusted packages have pickled Python…
Priority MEDIUM 52CWE-502Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-502.
Summary
NLTK through 3.8.1 allows remote code execution if untrusted packages have pickled Python code, and the integrated data package download functionality is used. This affects, for example, averaged_perceptron_tagger and punkt.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.01346 71st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed nltk (PyPI): 3.9
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| — | nltk (PyPI) | before 3.9 | 3.9 | Patch available | GHSA-cgvx-9447-vcch |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- nltk (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 3.9 Fixed in 3.9 Patch available GHSA-cgvx-9447-vcch
Remediation
- Fix · GHSA-cgvx-9447-vcch nltk (PyPI) Fixed in 3.9 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-39705
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-cgvx-9447-vcch
References
Other 6
- https://github.com/nltk/nltk/issues/3266
- https://github.com/nltk/nltk/issues/2522
- https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/rce-in-python-nltk-cve-2024-39705-39706
- https://github.com/nltk/nltk/commit/441aecb7d33014bd08672232c6c8bb69c2ceaba2
- https://github.com/nltk/nltk
- https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/nltk/PYSEC-2024-167.yaml
Sources
- CVE-2024-39705 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-39705 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-cgvx-9447-vcch · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-39705 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences