Search/CVE-2026-81722
CVE — High

CVE-2026-81722

nltk PorterStemmer in versions <= 3.10.2 (fixed in 3.10.3) contains an inefficient-algorithmic-complexity denial of service in PorterStemmer.stem(). The _is_consonant() helper walks backward over the entire run of trailing 'y' characters on every call, and _measure() invokes it for each stem position, causing O(n^2) behavior. A single ~20-50 KB untrusted token consisting of a long run of the letter 'y' followed by a matching suffix (e.g., 'ness') can pin a CPU core for seconds to minutes, causing availability impact.

CVSS v3.1
7.5 HIGH
EPSS
0.36%
probability of exploitation in 30 days
CISA KEV
Not listed
no confirmed exploitation reported
News coverage
0
sources referencing this CVE
EPSS Trend
Aug 29, 2026Sep 2, 2026
0.02pp
0.34% → 0.36% over 2 tracked changes
CVSS v3.1 Detail
Attack VectorNETWORK
Attack ComplexityLOW
Privileges RequiredNONE
User InteractionNONE
ScopeUNCHANGED
ConfidentialityNONE
IntegrityNONE
AvailabilityHIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Connections
2 relationships
Timeline
disclosure → media coverage
Aug 27, 2026
Disclosure — published as a CVE record.