virtualenv activation scripts run code from a path that contains a placeholder name

{
  "id": "e7b13612cf4b598111efa0c0f4aa89cd8350a4184b397da268cf44e91536cf7d",
  "url": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-113776",
  "method": "structured",
  "payload": {
    "kind": "advisory",
    "title": "virtualenv activation scripts run code from a path that contains a placeholder name",
    "summary": "virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. From 20.26.6 until 21.14.2, ViaTemplateActivator.instantiate_template() replaces placeholders one key at a time across the complete activation template, so trigger names such as __VIRTUAL_NAME__, __VIRTUAL_ENV__, or __VIRTUAL_PROMPT__ inside an already substituted and quoted environment path or prompt can be replaced during a later pass. The later value's quoting can close the earlier literal and execute the remaining path when a user activates the environment through bash, fish, xonsh, or activate_this.py. The distinct csh prompt-display token __VIRTUAL_PROMPT_DISPLAY_TCSH__ can instead break the generated script without establishing command execution. The attacker must influence the destination path or --prompt, and a value without a relevant placeholder name does not trigger this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.2.",
    "evidence": "cve:CVE-2026-113776",
    "products": [
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "virtualenv",
          "evidence": "/containers/cna/affected/0/product"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [],
        "affected_versions": []
      }
    ],
    "severity": "high",
    "structured": {
      "id": "CVE-2026-113776",
      "aliases": [
        "CVE-2026-113776"
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "version": "3.1",
            "baseScore": 7.8,
            "attackVector": "LOCAL",
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
          }
        }
      ],
      "affected": [
        {
          "vendor": "pypa",
          "product": "virtualenv",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": ">= 20.26.6, < 21.14.2"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "modified": "2026-10-28T14:54:19.776Z",
      "provider": "cve",
      "references": [
        "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-8rjx-v5ww-45pp",
        "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/602b26623a724827ff171bf11fef4ad186d01f74",
        "https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.2"
      ],
      "provider_metadata": {
        "adp": [
          {
            "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment",
            "metrics": [
              {
                "other": {
                  "type": "ssvc",
                  "content": {
                    "id": "CVE-2026-113776",
                    "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                    "options": [
                      {
                        "Exploitation": "none"
                      },
                      {
                        "Automatable": "no"
                      },
                      {
                        "Technical Impact": "total"
                      }
                    ],
                    "version": "2.0.3",
                    "timestamp": "2026-10-28T14:53:53.156314Z"
                  }
                }
              }
            ],
            "providerMetadata": {
              "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
              "shortName": "CISA-ADP",
              "dateUpdated": "2026-10-28T14:54:19.776Z"
            }
          }
        ],
        "cna": {
          "orgId": "a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa",
          "shortName": "GitHub_M",
          "dateUpdated": "2026-10-20T22:03:18.274Z"
        }
      }
    },
    "related_cves": [
      {
        "value": "CVE-2026-113776",
        "evidence": "/cveMetadata/cveId"
      }
    ],
    "security_relevant": true,
    "severity_evidence": "/containers/cna/metrics"
  },
  "source_id": "core-cve",
  "document_id": 452552,
  "published_at": "2026-10-20T22:03:18.274+00:00"
}