CVE-2026-102925 (GCVE-0-2026-102925)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-09-29 20:50 – Updated: 2026-09-29 20:50
VLAI
Title
virtualenv bash and fish activation scripts execute commands embedded in paths
Summary
virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.7.13, the generated activate (bash and zsh) and activate.fish scripts place values already escaped by shlex.quote inside an additional quoted context. In the bash and zsh script, a crafted virtual environment path reaches __VIRTUAL_ENV__ when a relocated environment's recorded directory is absent; in the fish script, crafted Tcl or Tk library paths reach __TCL_LIBRARY__ or __TK_LIBRARY__. The surplus quotes can terminate the data-only quoted run and leave shell metacharacters parsed as commands when a user sources the activation script, allowing code execution with that user's privileges. This issue is fixed in version 21.7.13.
Severity
7.8 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE
  • CWE-78 - Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
pypa virtualenv Affected: < 21.7.13
guessed Create a notification for this product.
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{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "virtualenv",
          "vendor": "pypa",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "\u003c 21.7.13"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.7.13, the generated activate (bash and zsh) and activate.fish scripts place values already escaped by shlex.quote inside an additional quoted context. In the bash and zsh script, a crafted virtual environment path reaches __VIRTUAL_ENV__ when a relocated environment\u0027s recorded directory is absent; in the fish script, crafted Tcl or Tk library paths reach __TCL_LIBRARY__ or __TK_LIBRARY__. The surplus quotes can terminate the data-only quoted run and leave shell metacharacters parsed as commands when a user sources the activation script, allowing code execution with that user\u0027s privileges. This issue is fixed in version 21.7.13."
        }
      ],
      "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",
              "description": "CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command (\u0027OS Command Injection\u0027)",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-09-29T20:50:57.199Z",
        "orgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
        "shortName": "GitHub_M"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-p58f-9548-mpm2",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-p58f-9548-mpm2"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/pull/3252",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/pull/3252"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/4d5a105ec2a2723b8c7f4571bb68f4f71d01e3f6",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/4d5a105ec2a2723b8c7f4571bb68f4f71d01e3f6"
        },
        {
          "name": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.7.13",
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_MISC"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.7.13"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "advisory": "GHSA-p58f-9548-mpm2",
        "discovery": "UNKNOWN"
      },
      "title": "virtualenv bash and fish activation scripts execute commands embedded in paths"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
    "assignerShortName": "GitHub_M",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-102925",
    "datePublished": "2026-09-29T20:50:57.199Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-09-29T20:24:43.339Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-09-29T20:50:57.199Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "affected": [
          {
            "affectedData": [
              {
                "product": "virtualenv",
                "vendor": "pypa",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "\u003c 21.7.13"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ],
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com"
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.7.13, the generated activate (bash and zsh) and activate.fish scripts place values already escaped by shlex.quote inside an additional quoted context. In the bash and zsh script, a crafted virtual environment path reaches __VIRTUAL_ENV__ when a relocated environment\u0027s recorded directory is absent; in the fish script, crafted Tcl or Tk library paths reach __TCL_LIBRARY__ or __TK_LIBRARY__. The surplus quotes can terminate the data-only quoted run and leave shell metacharacters parsed as commands when a user sources the activation script, allowing code execution with that user\u0027s privileges. This issue is fixed in version 21.7.13."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2026-102925",
        "lastModified": "2026-09-29T21:17:18.570",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "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"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 1.8,
              "impactScore": 5.9,
              "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
              "type": "Secondary"
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2026-09-29T21:17:18.570",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "url": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/4d5a105ec2a2723b8c7f4571bb68f4f71d01e3f6"
          },
          {
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "url": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/pull/3252"
          },
          {
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "url": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.7.13"
          },
          {
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "url": "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-p58f-9548-mpm2"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "security-advisories@github.com",
        "vulnStatus": "Received",
        "weaknesses": [
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-78"
              }
            ],
            "source": "security-advisories@github.com",
            "type": "Primary"
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Important",
      "current_release_date": "2026-09-29T21:52:34+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2026-102925",
      "id": "CVE-2026-102925",
      "initial_release_date": "2026-09-29T20:50:57.199000+00:00",
      "product_status:known_affected": "43",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "5",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "virtualenv: virtualenv: Arbitrary code execution via crafted paths in activation scripts",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-102925.json",
      "version": "3"
    }
  }
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
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  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.



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