CVE-2026-113714: virtualenv: Downloaded wheel selection and caching precede verification

Published Oct 20, 2026
·
Updated

virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. From 21.14.8 until 21.14.9, downloadwheel() writes package-index downloads directly into the reusable wheel/house cache before selecting a verification target from pip's textual Saved output. With default-index digest comparison enabled, a controlled package index can inject a misleading Saved line through a discarded link's data-requires-python attribute; this forged-line variant also requires knowledge of an absolute path to the genuine bundled wheel. The wrong path can then be hashed, while a digest mismatch leaves the rejected archive in the cache for later selection without verification. A separate rejected-cache-file variant requires control over downloaded data or archive selection but not the forged-line prerequisites. Explicit custom-index exceptions are outside the promised PyPI comparison, and the issue does not independently bypass TLS or establish control of default PyPI. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.9.

Other sources

virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.9, downloadwheel() writes package-index downloads directly into the reusable wheel/house cache before selecting a verification target from pip's textual Saved output. With default-index digest comparison enabled, a controlled package index can inject a misleading Saved line through a discarded link's data-requires-python attribute; this forged-line variant also requires knowledge of an absolute path to the genuine bundled wheel. The wrong path can then be hashed, while a digest mismatch leaves the rejected archive in the cache for later selection without verification. A separate rejected-cache-file variant requires control over downloaded data or archive selection but not the forged-line prerequisites. Explicit custom-index exceptions are outside the promised PyPI comparison, and the issue does not independently bypass TLS or establish control of default PyPI. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.9.

— NVD

Affected Software

1 affected component
pypi/virtualenv>=21.14.8<21.14.9

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade virtualenv to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 21.14.9

Event History

Oct 20, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:09 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:09 PM
DescriptionWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:17 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness

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