Vulnerability-Lookup

GHSA-8X48-8G7J-RQXP

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-08-27 18:32 – Updated: 2026-08-27 18:32

Details

nltk PorterStemmer in versions <= 3.10.2 (fixed in 3.10.3) contains an inefficient-algorithmic-complexity denial of service in PorterStemmer.stem(). The _is_consonant() helper walks backward over the entire run of trailing 'y' characters on every call, and _measure() invokes it for each stem position, causing O(n^2) behavior. A single ~20-50 KB untrusted token consisting of a long run of the letter 'y' followed by a matching suffix (e.g., 'ness') can pin a CPU core for seconds to minutes, causing availability impact.

Severity

7.5 (High)


                  
                    CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

8.7 (High)


                  
                    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

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{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-81722"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-407"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-08-27T17:21:02Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "nltk PorterStemmer in versions \u003c= 3.10.2 (fixed in 3.10.3) contains an inefficient-algorithmic-complexity denial of service in PorterStemmer.stem(). The _is_consonant() helper walks backward over the entire run of trailing \u0027y\u0027 characters on every call, and _measure() invokes it for each stem position, causing O(n^2) behavior. A single ~20-50 KB untrusted token consisting of a long run of the letter \u0027y\u0027 followed by a matching suffix (e.g., \u0027ness\u0027) can pin a CPU core for seconds to minutes, causing availability impact.",
  "id": "GHSA-8x48-8g7j-rqxp",
  "modified": "2026-08-27T18:32:29Z",
  "published": "2026-08-27T18:32:29Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-ww6m-cw3f-q94g"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-81722"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nltk-porterstemmer-before-3.10.3-quadratic-time-dos"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "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",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ]
}

CVE-2026-81722 (GCVE-0-2026-81722)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-27 14:51 – Updated: 2026-08-27 17:49

Title

nltk PorterStemmer before 3.10.3 Quadratic-time DoS

Summary

Severity

8.7 (High)


                        
                          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

7.5 (High)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

SSVC

Exploitation: poc Automatable: yes Technical Impact: partial

CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)

Decision recorded 2026-08-27 17:49 UTC

CWE

CWE-407 - Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity

Assigner

VulnCheck mitre root

References

2 references

URL	Tags
https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/…	vendor-advisory
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nltk-porters…	third-party-advisory

Impacted products

1 product

Vendor	Product	Version
nltk	nltk	Affected: 0 , < 3.10.3 (semver) Unaffected: 3.10.3 (semver) cpe:2.3:a:nltk:nltk::::::::

Date Public

2026-08-12 00:00

Show details on NVD website

JSON

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{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2026-81722",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "poc"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "yes"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "partial"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2026-08-27T17:49:47.104860Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
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        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2026-08-27T17:49:54.623Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "tags": [
              "exploit"
            ],
            "url": "https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-ww6m-cw3f-q94g"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "packageURL": "pkg:pypi/nltk",
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          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "3.10.3",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
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            },
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              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "3.10.3",
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      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
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          "nodes": [
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              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
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      ],
      "datePublic": "2026-08-12T00:00:00.000Z",
      "descriptions": [
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          "lang": "en",
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        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV4_0": {
            "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackRequirements": "NONE",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "baseScore": 8.7,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
            "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "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",
            "version": "4.0",
            "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "vulnIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
            "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"
          },
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            "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "integrityImpact": "NONE",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "NONE",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
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      "problemTypes": [
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      },
      "references": [
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          "name": "GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-ww6m-cw3f-q94g)",
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          "url": "https://github.com/nltk/nltk/security/advisories/GHSA-ww6m-cw3f-q94g"
        },
        {
          "name": "VulnCheck Advisory: nltk PorterStemmer before 3.10.3 Quadratic-time DoS",
          "tags": [
            "third-party-advisory"
          ],
          "url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/nltk-porterstemmer-before-3.10.3-quadratic-time-dos"
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    "assignerShortName": "VulnCheck",
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    "datePublished": "2026-08-27T14:51:15.857Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-08-27T11:13:14.064Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-27T17:49:54.623Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
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}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.

Action not permitted

GHSA-8X48-8G7J-RQXP

CVE-2026-81722 (GCVE-0-2026-81722)

Tags

Sightings

Nomenclature