Read the docs
TI-2026-78528 Aliases CVE-2026-113725GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7

Command injection in virtualenv bash activate via environment name

Priority LOW 36CWE-116Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-78.

Summary

virtualenv before 21.14.7 is affected. 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 the name runs as shell commands (CWE-78). A local attacker with no privileges needs a user to activate an environment with a crafted name, which then runs commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-03

Description from the CNA

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 bash draws the prompt. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.7.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00263 18th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial virtualenv (pypa): 21.14.7virtualenv (PyPI): 21.14.7Red Hat: 5 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
pypavirtualenvbefore 21.14.721.14.7Patch availableCNA
—virtualenv (PyPI)before 21.14.721.14.7Patch availableGHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7
  • virtualenv Vendorpypa Affected before 21.14.7 Fixed in 21.14.7 Patch available CNA
  • virtualenv (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 21.14.7 Fixed in 21.14.7 Patch available GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7

Remediation

Upgrade virtualenv to version 21.14.7, which fixes the issue. The sources list no fixed version for OpenShift Lightspeed, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI), Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces and Red Hat Satellite 6.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-03

  • Fix · CNA virtualenv (pypa) Fixed in 21.14.7
  • Fix · GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7 virtualenv (PyPI) Fixed in 21.14.7 Advisory →

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
OpenShift LightspeedAffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI)AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat OpenShift Dev SpacesAffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat Satellite 6AffectedNo fix yet
Not affected: 3 products
  • Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2
  • Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI)
  • Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-21 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-113725
  2. 2026-10-21 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  3. 2026-10-21 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-21 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  5. 2026-10-21 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
  6. 2026-10-21 Alias added: GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7
  7. 2026-10-21 Fix available: PyPI/[email protected] · GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7
  8. 2026-10-21 CVSS score added · GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7
  9. 2026-10-21 Weakness changed · GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7
  10. 2026-10-21 5 new references · GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7
  11. 2026-11-02 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  12. 2026-11-03 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  13. 2026-11-03 Affected versions changed · Red Hat

References

Advisory 1

Other 4

  • 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
See all 36 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences