{"id":"CVE-2026-113776","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"virtualenv activation scripts run code from a path that contains a placeholder name","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.","publishedAt":"2026-10-20T22:03:18.274Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-28T14:54:19.776Z","severity":{"score":7.8,"label":"High","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","source":"GitHub_M"},"assigner":"GitHub_M","products":["pypa virtualenv"],"affected":[{"vendor":"pypa","product":"virtualenv","versions":[{"version":">= 20.26.6, < 21.14.2","status":"affected"}]}],"references":["https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp","https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/602b26623a724827ff171bf11fef4ad186d01f74","https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.2"],"weaknesses":["CWE-78","CWE-94"],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:10:43.281Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2026/113xxx/CVE-2026-113776.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2026-113776","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2026-10-20T22:03:18.274Z","dateUpdated":"2026-10-28T14:54:19.776Z","assignerShortName":"GitHub_M","assignerOrgId":"a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa","dateReserved":"2026-10-20T17:39:41.371Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"virtualenv activation scripts run code from a path that contains a placeholder name","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"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."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"pypa","product":"virtualenv","versions":[{"version":">= 20.26.6, < 21.14.2","status":"affected"}]}],"references":[{"url":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp","name":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp","tags":["x_refsource_CONFIRM"]},{"url":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/602b26623a724827ff171bf11fef4ad186d01f74","name":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/602b26623a724827ff171bf11fef4ad186d01f74","tags":["x_refsource_MISC"]},{"url":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.2","name":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.2","tags":["x_refsource_MISC"]}],"metrics":[{"cvssV3_1":{"attackComplexity":"LOW","attackVector":"LOCAL","availabilityImpact":"HIGH","baseScore":7.8,"baseSeverity":"HIGH","confidentialityImpact":"HIGH","integrityImpact":"HIGH","privilegesRequired":"NONE","scope":"UNCHANGED","userInteraction":"REQUIRED","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","version":"3.1"}}],"problemTypes":[{"descriptions":[{"cweId":"CWE-78","lang":"en","description":"CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')","type":"CWE"}]},{"descriptions":[{"cweId":"CWE-94","lang":"en","description":"CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')","type":"CWE"}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"GitHub_M","orgId":"a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa","dateUpdated":"2026-10-20T22:03:18.274Z"},"source":{"advisory":"GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp","discovery":"UNKNOWN"}},"adp":[{"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"timestamp":"2026-10-28T14:53:53.156314Z","id":"CVE-2026-113776","options":[{"Exploitation":"none"},{"Automatable":"no"},{"Technical Impact":"total"}],"role":"CISA Coordinator","version":"2.0.3"}}}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"CISA-ADP","orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","dateUpdated":"2026-10-28T14:54:19.776Z"}}]}}}