Wheel cache written before verification in virtualenv
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- High
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · Low
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 6 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat.
Summary
virtualenv before 21.14.9 writes package index downloads into its reusable wheel cache before checking them against pip's Saved output. With default PyPI digest comparison enabled, a controlled package index can forge that output so the wrong file is hashed, and a digest mismatch leaves the rejected archive in the cache. An attacker who controls the package index or downloaded data can trigger this (CWE-354).
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the CNA
virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.9, download_wheel() writes package-index downloads directly into the reusable wheel/house cache before selecting a verification target from pip's textual Saved output. With default-index digest comparison enabled, a controlled package index can inject a misleading Saved line through a discarded link's data-requires-python attribute; this forged-line variant also requires knowledge of an absolute path to the genuine bundled wheel. The wrong path can then be hashed, while a digest mismatch leaves the rejected archive in the cache for later selection without verification. A separate rejected-cache-file variant requires control over downloaded data or archive selection but not the forged-line prerequisites. Explicit custom-index exceptions are outside the promised PyPI comparison, and the issue does not independently bypass TLS or establish control of default PyPI. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.9.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pypa | virtualenv | before 21.14.9 | 21.14.9 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | virtualenv (PyPI) | before 21.14.9 | 21.14.9 | Patch available | GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3 |
- virtualenv Vendorpypa Affected before 21.14.9 Fixed in 21.14.9 Patch available CNA
- virtualenv (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 21.14.9 Fixed in 21.14.9 Patch available GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3
Remediation
Upgrade virtualenv to 21.14.9, the fixed version listed for PyPI. Red Hat lists these products as affected with no available plan: OpenShift Lightspeed, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI), Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4, Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces and Red Hat Satellite 6.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
- Fix · CNA virtualenv (pypa) Fixed in 21.14.9
- Fix · GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3 virtualenv (PyPI) Fixed in 21.14.9 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| OpenShift Lightspeed | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI) | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Satellite 6 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-10-20 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-113714
- 2026-10-21 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-21 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-23 Alias added: GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3
- 2026-10-23 Fix available: PyPI/[email protected] · GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3
- 2026-10-23 CVSS score added · GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3
- 2026-10-23 Weakness changed · GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3
- 2026-10-23 6 new references · GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3
- 2026-10-27 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-27 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM
References
More pypa vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-29803 setuptools has a path traversal vulnerability in PackageIndex.download that leads to Arbitrary File Write CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.7
- TI-2024-05888 Remote Code Execution in pypa/setuptools CVSS 3.0HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-78525 Shell command injection in virtualenv generated POSIX launchers CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2026-78526 Command injection in virtualenv bash activation prompt CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-78521 Code injection in virtualenv Xonsh activation script CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-19377 wheel Allows Arbitrary File Permission Modification via Path Traversal CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
Sources
- CVE-2026-113714 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-113714 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-113714 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences