CVE-2026-66393

NLTK versions before 3.9.4 contain an unbounded recursion vulnerability in JSONTaggedDecoder.decode_obj() that allows attackers to cause denial of service by supplying deeply nested JSON structures. Attackers can craft JSON payloads exceeding the recursion limit to trigger an unhandled RecursionError that crashes the Python process.

CVSS v3 7.5 HIGH

7.5^/10

CVSS v3 : HIGH

Vector :

Exploitability : 3.9 / Impact : 3.6

Attack Vector NETWORK

Attack Complexity LOW

Privileges Required NONE

User Interaction NONE

Confidentiality Impact NONE

Integrity Impact NONE

Availability Impact HIGH

Scope UNCHANGED

References

Link	Resource
https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-rf74-v2fm-23pw	Exploit Mitigation Vendor Advisory
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nltk-before-denial-of-service-via-jsontaggeddecoder	Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-rf74-v2fm-23pw	Exploit Mitigation Vendor Advisory

Configurations

Configuration 1 (hide)

cpe:2.3:a:nltk:nltk:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

History

No history.

Information

Published : 2026-08-22 15:16

Updated : 2026-08-27 14:47

NVD link : CVE-2026-66393

Mitre link : CVE-2026-66393

CVE.ORG link : CVE-2026-66393

JSON object : View

Products Affected

nltk

nltk

CWE

CWE-674

Uncontrolled Recursion

{"id": "CVE-2026-66393", "cveTags": [], "metrics": {"ssvcV203": [{"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0", "ssvcData": {"id": "CVE-2026-66393", "role": "CISA Coordinator", "options": [{"exploitation": "poc"}, {"automatable": "yes"}, {"technicalImpact": "partial"}], "version": "2.0.3", "timestamp": "2026-08-26T17:54:42.004486Z"}}], "cvssMetricV31": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "cvssData": {"scope": "UNCHANGED", "version": "3.1", "baseScore": 7.5, "attackVector": "NETWORK", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H", "integrityImpact": "NONE", "userInteraction": "NONE", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"}, "impactScore": 3.6, "exploitabilityScore": 3.9}], "cvssMetricV40": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "cvssData": {"Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "version": "4.0", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "baseScore": 8.7, "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X", "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "userInteraction": "NONE", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED"}}]}, "affected": [{"source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "affectedData": [{"vendor": "nltk", "product": "nltk", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "0", "lessThan": "3.9.4", "versionType": "semver"}, {"status": "unaffected", "version": "3.9.4", "versionType": "semver"}], "packageURL": "pkg:pypi/nltk", "defaultStatus": "unaffected"}]}], "published": "2026-08-22T15:16:19.633", "references": [{"url": "https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-rf74-v2fm-23pw", "tags": ["Exploit", "Mitigation", "Vendor Advisory"], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nltk-before-denial-of-service-via-jsontaggeddecoder", "tags": ["Third Party Advisory"], "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}, {"url": "https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-rf74-v2fm-23pw", "tags": ["Exploit", "Mitigation", "Vendor Advisory"], "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0"}], "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "weaknesses": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "disclosure@vulncheck.com", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-674"}]}], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "NLTK versions before 3.9.4 contain an unbounded recursion vulnerability in JSONTaggedDecoder.decode_obj() that allows attackers to cause denial of service by supplying deeply nested JSON structures. Attackers can craft JSON payloads exceeding the recursion limit to trigger an unhandled RecursionError that crashes the Python process."}], "lastModified": "2026-08-27T14:47:55.913", "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:nltk:nltk:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "vulnerable": true, "matchCriteriaId": "A5471378-2B80-492B-B6BC-E6E9AE4F5179", "versionEndExcluding": "3.9.4"}], "operator": "OR"}]}], "sourceIdentifier": "disclosure@vulncheck.com"}