PyPA Virtualenv up to 21.14.8 Wheel Download download_wheel code injection

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in PyPA Virtualenv up to 21.14.8. This affects the function download_wheel of the component Wheel Download. The manipulation leads to code injection. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-113714. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. There is no exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in PyPA Virtualenv up to 21.14.8 and classified as problematic. This issue affects the function download_wheel of the component Wheel Download. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a code injection vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-94. The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment. Impacted is integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.9, download_wheel() 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.

The advisory is shared at github.com. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-113714 since 10/20/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be initiated remotely. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1059 for this issue.

Upgrading to version 21.14.9 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at EUVD (EUVD-2026-105260). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Vendor

• PyPA

Name

• Virtualenv

Version

• 21.14.0
• 21.14.1
• 21.14.2
• 21.14.3
• 21.14.4
• 21.14.5
• 21.14.6
• 21.14.7
• 21.14.8

Website

• Product: https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/

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Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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