CVE-2026-113719

virtualenv: Seed replacement does not contain metadata deletion paths

Published Oct 20, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 4.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.9, PipInstall._uninstall_previous_version() accepts existing seed-package metadata and _uninstall_dist() joins entries from top_level.txt and RECORD to site-packages without checking containment. When a reused destination contains distribution metadata influenced by another account, relative traversal, absolute entries, or linked parents can cause app-data reseeding to delete files outside the environment or the environment root with the invoking user's permissions, provided that user has deletion rights over the named paths. The deletion occurs during environment creation before any later use of the environment. Fresh environments without existing package metadata and creation with --clear do not enter this cleanup path. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.9.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-hhxq-47xx-j5xx virtualenv: Seed replacement does not contain metadata deletion paths
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Pypa
Pypa virtualenv
Vendors & Products Pypa
Pypa virtualenv
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.9, PipInstall._uninstall_previous_version() accepts existing seed-package metadata and _uninstall_dist() joins entries from top_level.txt and RECORD to site-packages without checking containment. When a reused destination contains distribution metadata influenced by another account, relative traversal, absolute entries, or linked parents can cause app-data reseeding to delete files outside the environment or the environment root with the invoking user's permissions, provided that user has deletion rights over the named paths. The deletion occurs during environment creation before any later use of the environment. Fresh environments without existing package metadata and creation with --clear do not enter this cleanup path. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.9.
Title virtualenv: Seed replacement does not contain metadata deletion paths
Weaknesses CWE-22
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Oct 27, 2026, 11:01 AM
Reserved
Oct 20, 2026, 4:03 PM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Oct 20, 2026, 8:17 PM
Modified
Oct 27, 2026, 11:17 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Oct 20, 2026, 7:42 PM