CVE-2026-78680
NLTK <3.10.3 path-hijack allows arbitrary code execution via Graphviz 'dot'.
Is CVE-2026-78680 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-78680 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.12% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-78680?
CVE-2026-78680 is rated High. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-78680?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-78680. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-78680 affect?
CVE-2026-78680 affects NLTK <3.10.3, Python apps using dependencygraph.dot2img, NLTK AlignedSent._repr_svg_, Systems calling Graphviz via NLTK. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-78680?
Upgrade NLTK to >=3.10.3 and harden PATH/CWD hygiene; call Graphviz by absolute path.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Arbitrary code execution by placing a malicious 'dot' binary in PATH or CWD when NLTK invokes Graphviz, executing with the application's privileges.
Patch when possible
- affected< 3.10.3
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.