CVE-2026-102925

virtualenv bash and fish activation scripts execute commands embedded in paths

Published Sep 29, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
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.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-p58f-9548-mpm2 virtualenv bash and fish activation scripts execute commands embedded in paths
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Virtualenv
Virtualenv virtualenv
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:virtualenv:virtualenv:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Virtualenv
Virtualenv virtualenv
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Pypa
Pypa virtualenv
Python
Python virtualenv
Vendors & Products Pypa
Pypa virtualenv
Python
Python virtualenv
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description 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.
Title virtualenv bash and fish activation scripts execute commands embedded in paths
Weaknesses CWE-78
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 PM
Reserved
Sep 29, 2026, 8:24 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Sep 29, 2026, 9:17 PM
Modified
Nov 9, 2026, 7:41 PM
Severity
Important
Public date
Sep 29, 2026, 8:50 PM