CVE intelligence and bounded remediation
CVE-2026-33231 — Nltk Nltk security vulnerability
NLTK (Natural Language Toolkit) is a suite of open source Python modules, data sets, and tutorials supporting research and development in Natural Language Processing. In versions 3.9.3 and prior, `nltk.app.wordnet_app` allows unauthenticated remote shutdown of the local WordNet Browser HTTP server when it is started in its default mode. A simple `GET /SHUTDOWN%20THE%20SERVER` request causes the process to terminate immediately via `os._exit(0)`, resulting in a denial of service. Commit bbaae83db86a0f49e00f5b0db44a7254c268de9b patches the issue.
- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Published
- 2026-03-20
- CISA KEV
- Not currently listed
- Ecosystem
- python/pypi
- Weaknesses
- CWE-306
Affected products
- nltk / nltk
Matched remediation archetype
Authentication bypass and missing authentication
This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.
Check exposure
- Map every affected endpoint and protocol path, including alternate ports, legacy routes, recovery flows, service accounts, and machine-to-machine access.
- Confirm which deployments enable the affected authentication mode and whether the interface is reachable from untrusted networks.
- Review session, token, credential, and proxy trust configuration without attempting account takeover.
Remediate safely
- Apply the supported fix and centralize fail-closed authentication before protected request handling.
- Remove default or embedded credentials, rotate affected secrets and sessions, and bind authentication decisions to the intended audience and channel.
- Add negative tests for alternate routes, malformed or absent credentials, recovery flows, and proxy-derived identity.
Authoritative sources
Complete CVE record and remediation plan
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