CVE-2026-113776 PUBLISHED

virtualenv activation scripts run code from a path that contains a placeholder name

Assigner: GitHub_M
Reserved: 20.10.2026 Published: 20.10.2026 Updated: 20.10.2026

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.

Metrics

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS Score: 7.8

Product Status

Vendor pypa
Product virtualenv
Versions
  • Version >= 20.26.6, < 21.14.2 is affected

References

Problem Types

  • CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') CWE
  • CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') CWE