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BREW-acronym-CVE-2026-78683 — NLTK: Unsafe Pickle Deserialization in TransitionParser Allows Remote Code Execution

Affected: Homebrew: acronym

## Summary

The NLTK library's `TransitionParser.parse()` method deserializes model files using `pickle_load()` with the default `restricted=False` parameter, allowing arbitrary Python code execution when loading a malicious model file. The library provides a `RestrictedUnpickler` class for safe deserialization, but it is never used by production code paths, leaving the vulnerability unpatched.

## Root Cause

**File:** `nltk/parse/transitionparser.py` (lines 542-557)

The `parse()` method calls `pickle_load(f)` without `restricted=True`, routing through `WarningUnpickler` which inherits from `pickle.Unpickler` and does NOT override `find_class()`. This allows arbitrary class/function resolution during unpickling, enabling RCE via standard pickle gadgets (e.g., `os.system`, `subprocess.Popen`).

**Vulnerability chain in `nltk/picklesec.py`:**

```python def pickle_load(file, *, context=None, restricted=False): if restricted: return RestrictedUnpickler(file).load() # Safe: blocks all globals return WarningUnpickler(file, context=context).load() # VULNERABLE PATH ```

`WarningUnpickler` only emits a warning but does NOT block unsafe class loading — it calls `super().load()` which is standard `pickle.Unpickler.load()`.

**Why this is not by design:** - NLTK intentionally created `RestrictedUnpickler` to block unsafe deserialization - The `restricted=True` parameter exists in the API but is **never used** by any production code path - All call sites use the def…

fkie_cve-2026-78683

NLTK before 3.10.0 (affected versions <=3.9.4) contains an unsafe pickle deserialization vulnerability in the TransitionParser.parse() method (nltk/parse/transitionparser.py). The method calls pickle_load() with the default restricted=False, routing deserialization through WarningUnpickler, which does not override find_class() and therefore permits arbitrary class resolution. When an application loads an attacker-crafted model file, embedded pickle gadget chains execute arbitrary Python code with the privileges of the user running the application. NLTK provides a RestrictedUnpickler for safe deserialization, but it is not used by production code paths. Fixed in 3.10.0.

Withdrawn: GHSA-gx65-c5hj-vpv5 — Duplicate Advisory: [CWE-502] Unsafe Pickle Deserialization in TransitionParser Allows Remote Code Execution

Withdrawn by the publisher.

Affected: PyPI: nltk

## Duplicate Advisory

This advisory has been withdrawn because it is a duplicate of GHSA-rhp5-r9x4-f5g2. This link is maintained to preserve external references.

## Original Description NLTK before 3.10.0 (affected versions <=3.9.4) contains an unsafe pickle deserialization vulnerability in the TransitionParser.parse() method (nltk/parse/transitionparser.py). The method calls pickle_load() with the default restricted=False, routing deserialization through WarningUnpickler, which does not override find_class() and therefore permits arbitrary class resolution. When an application loads an attacker-crafted model file, embedded pickle gadget chains execute arbitrary Python code with the privileges of the user running the application. NLTK provides a RestrictedUnpickler for safe deserialization, but it is not used by production code paths. Fixed in 3.10.0.

PYSEC-2026-3734

Affected: PyPI: nltk