Description (CNA)
A vulnerability in the `filestring()` function of the `nltk.util` module in nltk version 3.9.2 allows arbitrary file read due to improper validation of input paths. The function directly opens files specified by user input without sanitization, enabling attackers to access sensitive system files by providing absolute paths or traversal paths. This vulnerability can be exploited locally or remotely, particularly in scenarios where the function is used in web APIs or other interfaces that accept user-supplied input.
Affected (CNA)
| Vendor / product | Versions |
|---|---|
| nltk / nltk/nltk | affected unspecified through latest |
CWE
CWE-36
References
ADP enrichment
No English description supplied.
A flaw was found in the `nltk` component. This vulnerability, specifically within the `filestring()` function of the `nltk.util` module, allows an attacker to perform arbitrary file reads. By providing specially crafted input paths, either absolute or using directory traversal, an attacker can bypass input validation and access sensitive system files. This can be exploited both locally and remotely, particularly when the function processes user-supplied input in applications like web APIs.