CVE-2025-14009CWE-94

Zip Slip Vulnerability in nltk/nltk Leading to Remote Code Execution

Critical · published February 18, 2026

CVSS v3.0
10.0
EPSS
1%
Percentile
63.6
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

A critical vulnerability exists in the NLTK downloader component of nltk/nltk, affecting all versions. The _unzip_iter function in nltk/downloader.py uses zipfile.extractall() without performing path validation or security checks. This allows attackers to craft malicious zip packages that, when downloaded and extracted by NLTK, can execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability arises because NLTK assumes all downloaded packages are trusted and extracts them without validation. If a malicious package contains Python files, such as __init__.py, these files are executed automatically upon import, leading to remote code execution. This issue can result in full system compromise, including file system access, network access, and potential persistence mechanisms.

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.0
10.0 · CRITICAL
Vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.01036 · 63.6th percentile
Weakness
CWE-94 · Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
Published
2026-02-18T17:45Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 18 FEB 17:45Z
    Zip Slip Vulnerability in nltk/nltk Leading to Remote Code Execution
    cvelistv5