CVE-2026-113776 · GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp
virtualenv activation scripts run code from a path that contains a placeholder name
- Risk score
- 55/100
- CVSS
- 7.8 v3.1
- Exploit chance (30 days)
- 0.2%
- Published
- 20 Oct 2026
Open in the live forecast Today's forecast
What to know
- What it is
- virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. From 20.26.6 until 21.14.2, ViaTemplateActivator.instantiate_template() replaces placeholders one key at a time across the complete activation template, so trigger names such as __VIRTUAL_NAME__, __VIRTUAL_ENV__, or __VIRTUAL_PROMPT__ inside an al…
- Affected
- virtualenv (pip) >= 20.26.6, <= 21.14.1
- Fix
- Upgrade virtualenv to 21.14.2 or later.
- Exploitation
- No known exploitation
Story map
At a glance
virtualenv: Yellow, plan it in. virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.7, the bash activate script escapes the environment name for only one of the two passes bash makes over PS1, so a backslash in the name undoes the escaping and a name containing \$(...) runs as commands in the user's shell each time…
The flaws
- CVE-2026-113776: Virtualenv activation scripts run code from a path that contains a placeholder name (CVSS 7.8 · EPSS 0%)
- CVE-2026-113725: Virtualenv bash activate runs commands from an environment name with a backslash before $ (CVSS 7.8 · EPSS 0%)
- CVE-2026-102930: Downloaded seed wheels (pip/setuptools) are not integrity-checked before use (CVSS 7.7 · EPSS 0%)
- CVE-2026-113726: Virtualenv activate runs commands from the environment name in zsh with PROMPT_SUBST (CVSS 7.8 · EPSS 0%)
The fix
Upgrade virtualenv: 21.14.2 · 21.14.7 · 21.7.12 · 21.13.0 · 21.14.4 or later on your release line
Who is exposed: virtualenv (pip) <= 21.14.6
Where it stands
- Public proof of concept
Connects to
- Same weakness: OS command injection (CWE-78). 306 other warnings in 30 days
Why it is Yellow
- CVSS 7.8 high
- On your watchlist: PyPI
Affected packages
| Package | Ecosystem | Vulnerable | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| virtualenv | pip | >= 20.26.6, <= 21.14.1 | 21.14.2 |
References
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp
- https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-113776
- https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/602b26623a724827ff171bf11fef4ad186d01f74
- https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.2
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp
Original description
virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. From 20.26.6 until 21.14.2, ViaTemplateActivator.instantiate_template() replaces placeholders one key at a time across the complete activation template, so trigger names such as __VIRTUAL_NAME__, __VIRTUAL_ENV__, or __VIRTUAL_PROMPT__ inside an already substituted and quoted environment path or prompt can be replaced during a later pass. The later value's quoting can close the earlier literal and execute the remaining path when a user activates the environment through bash, fish, xonsh, or activate_this.py. The distinct csh prompt-display token __VIRTUAL_PROMPT_DISPLAY_TCSH__ can instead break the generated script without establishing command execution. The attacker must influence the destination path or --prompt, and a value without a relevant placeholder name does not trigger this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.2.
Last activity 20 Oct 2026. Patch Forecast updates every hour.