NLTK (Natural Language Toolkit) is a suite of open source Python modules, data sets, and tutorials supporting research and development in Natural Language Processing. Prior to 3.10.0-rc1, nltk.data.load() in NLTK is vulnerable to path traversal via URL-encoded path separators and traversal segments when using the nltk: URL scheme. The unsafe-path regex check is performed before url2pathname() decodes the %xx sequences (a classic decode-after-check / TOCTOU-style flaw), allowing an attacker to bypass the protection documented in NLTK's SECURITY.md and read arbitrary files from the filesystem. While literal traversal strings such as ../../../etc/passwd are correctly blocked, encoded variants such as %2fetc%2fpasswd, %2e%2e%2f..., and ..%2f..%2f slip past the regex and are subsequently decoded into a real filesystem path. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.10.0-rc1.

The version of IBM Cognos Analytics installed on the remote host is 12.0.4 prior to 12.0.4 FP3, or 12.1.x prior to 12.1.3 FP2. It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities as referenced in the IBM Security Bulletin No.
7287209:

  - NLTK versions 3.9.2 and prior are vulnerable to arbitrary code execution due to improper input     validation in the StanfordSegmenter module. The module dynamically loads external Java .jar files     without verification or sandboxing. An attacker can supply or replace the JAR file, enabling the     execution of arbitrary Java bytecode at import time. (CVE-2026-0848)

  - The lodash fix for CVE-2021-23337 added validation for the variable option in _.template but did not     apply the same validation to options.imports key names. Both paths flow into the same Function()     constructor sink. When an application passes untrusted input as options.imports key names, an attacker     can inject default-parameter expressions that execute arbitrary code at template compilation time.
    (CVE-2026-4800)

  - cryptography is a package designed to expose cryptographic primitives and recipes to Python developers.
    From 45.0.0 to before 46.0.7, if a non-contiguous buffer was passed to APIs which accepted Python     buffers (e.g. Hash.update()), this could lead to buffer overflows. (CVE-2026-39892)

Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

There are packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability referenced in the following CVE:

  - NLTK (Natural Language Toolkit) is a suite of open source Python modules, data sets, and tutorials
    supporting research and development in Natural Language Processing. Prior to 3.10.0-rc1, nltk.data.load()
    in NLTK is vulnerable to path traversal via URL-encoded path separators and traversal segments when using
    the nltk: URL scheme. The unsafe-path regex check is performed before url2pathname() decodes the %xx
    sequences (a classic decode-after-check / TOCTOU-style flaw), allowing an attacker to bypass the
    protection documented in NLTK's SECURITY.md and read arbitrary files from the filesystem. While literal
    traversal strings such as ../../../etc/passwd are correctly blocked, encoded variants such as
    %2fetc%2fpasswd, %2e%2e%2f..., and ..%2f..%2f slip past the regex and are subsequently decoded into a real
    filesystem path. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.10.0-rc1. (CVE-2026-54293)

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

  - NLTK (Natural Language Toolkit) is a suite of open source Python modules, data sets, and tutorials     supporting research and development in Natural Language Processing. Prior to 3.10.0-rc1, nltk.data.load()     in NLTK is vulnerable to path traversal via URL-encoded path separators and traversal segments when using     the nltk: URL scheme. The unsafe-path regex check is performed before url2pathname() decodes the %xx     sequences (a classic decode-after-check / TOCTOU-style flaw), allowing an attacker to bypass the     protection documented in NLTK's SECURITY.md and read arbitrary files from the filesystem. While literal     traversal strings such as ../../../etc/passwd are correctly blocked, encoded variants such as     %2fetc%2fpasswd, %2e%2e%2f..., and ..%2f..%2f slip past the regex and are subsequently decoded into a real     filesystem path. This vulnerability is fixed in 3.10.0-rc1. (CVE-2026-54293)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

ID	Name	Product	Family	Type	Severity
347960	IBM Cognos Analytics 12.0.4 < 12.0.4 FP3 / 12.1.x < 12.1.3 FP2 Multiple Vulnerabilities (7287209)	Nessus	CGI abuses	Remote	critical
444813	SCA: security update for nltk (GHSA-p4gq-832x-fm9v)	Tenable Cloud Security	SCA Checks	Local	high
444813	SCA: security update for nltk (GHSA-p4gq-832x-fm9v)	Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security	SCA Checks	Local	high
322136	Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-54293	Nessus	Misc.	Local	high

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2026-54293

high

Tenable Plugins

critical

high

high

high