{"id":"UBUNTU-CVE-2026-12259","details":"In nltk version 3.9.4, the `nltk.downloader.Downloader._download_package()` function writes downloaded package bytes to disk and may extract them before enforcing SHA-256 or MD5 checksum validation. This allows an attacker to tamper with the package response body for `info.url` through a compromised mirror, malicious proxy, or other source-substitution condition, leading to the installation of attacker-controlled package bytes. The vulnerability can result in malicious corpus or model content being trusted by downstream users or applications.","modified":"2026-08-06T00:12:15Z","published":"2026-08-03T08:17:00Z","upstream":["CVE-2026-12259"],"references":[{"type":"REPORT","url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-12259"},{"type":"REPORT","url":"https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-12259"},{"type":"REPORT","url":"https://huntr.com/bounties/659ccf6d-12d4-4d4a-84c0-078633c35a5d"}],"affected":[{"package":{"name":"nltk","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/nltk?arch=source&distro=esm-infra-legacy%2Ftrusty"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["2.0~b9-0ubuntu4","2.0~b9-0ubuntu4.1~esm2","2.0~b9-0ubuntu4.1~esm4","2.0~b9-0ubuntu4.1~esm5","2.0~b9-0ubuntu4.1~esm6"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"python-nltk","binary_version":"2.0~b9-0ubuntu4.1~esm6"}]},"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/cve/2026/UBUNTU-CVE-2026-12259.json"}},{"package":{"name":"nltk","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/nltk?arch=source&distro=esm-apps-legacy%2Fxenial"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["3.0.4-1","3.0.5-1","3.1-1","3.1-1ubuntu0.1","3.1-1ubuntu0.1+esm1","3.1-1ubuntu0.1+esm2","3.1-1ubuntu0.1+esm3","3.1-1ubuntu0.1+esm4"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"python-nltk","binary_version":"3.1-1ubuntu0.1+esm4"},{"binary_name":"python3-nltk","binary_version":"3.1-1ubuntu0.1+esm4"}]},"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/cve/2026/UBUNTU-CVE-2026-12259.json"}},{"package":{"name":"nltk","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/nltk?arch=source&distro=esm-apps%2Fbionic"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["3.2.4-1","3.2.5-1","3.2.5-1ubuntu0.1","3.2.5-1ubuntu0.1+esm1","3.2.5-1ubuntu0.1+esm2","3.2.5-1ubuntu0.1+esm3","3.2.5-1ubuntu0.1+esm4"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"python-nltk","binary_version":"3.2.5-1ubuntu0.1+esm4"},{"binary_name":"python3-nltk","binary_version":"3.2.5-1ubuntu0.1+esm4"}]},"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/cve/2026/UBUNTU-CVE-2026-12259.json"}},{"package":{"name":"nltk","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/nltk?arch=source&distro=esm-apps%2Ffocal"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["3.4.5-1","3.4.5-2","3.4.5-2ubuntu0.1~esm1","3.4.5-2ubuntu0.1~esm2","3.4.5-2ubuntu0.1~esm3","3.4.5-2ubuntu0.1~esm4"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"python3-nltk","binary_version":"3.4.5-2ubuntu0.1~esm4"}]},"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/cve/2026/UBUNTU-CVE-2026-12259.json"}},{"package":{"name":"nltk","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:22.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/nltk?arch=source&distro=esm-apps%2Fjammy"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["3.5-1","3.6.5-1","3.6.7-1","3.7-1","3.7-1ubuntu0.1~esm1","3.7-1ubuntu0.1~esm2"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"python3-nltk","binary_version":"3.7-1ubuntu0.1~esm2"}]},"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/cve/2026/UBUNTU-CVE-2026-12259.json"}},{"package":{"name":"nltk","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:24.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/nltk?arch=source&distro=esm-apps%2Fnoble"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["3.8.1-1","3.8.1-1ubuntu0.1~esm1","3.8.1-1ubuntu0.1~esm2"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"python3-nltk","binary_version":"3.8.1-1ubuntu0.1~esm2"}]},"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/cve/2026/UBUNTU-CVE-2026-12259.json"}},{"package":{"name":"nltk","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:26.04:LTS","purl":"pkg:deb/ubuntu/nltk?arch=source&distro=esm-apps%2Fresolute"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["3.9.1-2","3.9.1-2build1","3.9.2-1","3.9.2-1ubuntu0.1~esm1","3.9.2-1ubuntu0.1~esm2"],"ecosystem_specific":{"binaries":[{"binary_name":"python3-nltk","binary_version":"3.9.2-1ubuntu0.1~esm2"}]},"database_specific":{"source":"https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/cve/2026/UBUNTU-CVE-2026-12259.json"}}],"schema_version":"1.8.0","severity":[{"type":"CVSS_V3","score":"CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N"},{"type":"Ubuntu","score":"medium"}]}