CVE-2026-113716 MEDIUM

CVE-2026-113716: virtualenv: Builtin creation follows linked environment directories

Vendor Pypa
Product virtualenv
Weakness CWE-59
Published October 20, 2026
Last update October 21, 2026

CVSS base score

4.5/10
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity High
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Confidentiality Low
Integrity Low

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

What the vulnerability does

01Description

virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.9, the builtin creator calls ensure_dir() for executable, library, and package directories, and ensure_dir() accepts an existing symlink to a directory because exists() follows it. Interpreter creation, seed installation, and activation generation then write through the linked parent outside the requested destination when another local account prepared the tree and the invoking user can access the target. The --clear option removes the planted tree first, while ordinary creation reaches it; arbitrary attacker-selected output bytes are not established. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.9.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

October 20, 2026 CVE published
October 21, 2026 Record updated