CVE-2026-102925

virtualenv bash and fish activation scripts execute commands embedded in paths

State
Published
Severity
7.8 High
Published
Sep 29, 2026
Updated
Sep 30, 2026
Reserved
Sep 29, 2026

Read the record on cve.org

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.

Scores

CVSSScoreVectorSource
3.17.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HGitHub_M

Weaknesses

  • CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')

Affected Products

ProductVersions
virtualenvpypa
  • < 21.7.13Affected

References

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