---
id: CVE-2026-102930
title: virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments
summary: >-
  virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior
  to 21.7.12, download_wheel() accepts pip and setuptools seed wheels fetched
  for periodic updates or the --download option without checking their bytes
  against …
severity: high
cvss: 7.7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'
cwe:
  - CWE-494
vendor: pypa
product: virtualenv
affected:
  - virtualenv < 21.7.12
published: '2026-09-29'
updated: '2026-09-30'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-30T19:38:27.293'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-102930'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/a01ed3e2f239d6ab1fce62c5c7664ccf268fff6d
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/pull/3251'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-94p9-xgh2-xp45'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-102930.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-102930'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2543652'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-102930'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-102930'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/virtualenv/PYSEC-2026-4011.yaml
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv'
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.7.12'
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/virtualenv'
  - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-94p9-xgh2-xp45'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:84734'
tags:
  - nvd
  - cve.org
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - ghsa
  - pip
  - osv
epss: 0.00197
epssPercentile: 0.09286
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: total
  timestamp: '2026-09-30T14:02:14.766019Z'
cvssSource: cna
scores:
  cna: 7.7
  vendor: 7.5
ingestedAt: '2026-09-29T21:49:08.216Z'
aliases:
  - GHSA-94p9-xgh2-xp45
  - PYSEC-2026-4011
  - BIT-virtualenv-2026-102930
ecosystem: pip
patched:
  - virtualenv 21.7.12
---

## Overview

virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.7.12, download_wheel() accepts pip and setuptools seed wheels fetched for periodic updates or the --download option without checking their bytes against an authoritative digest equivalent to the embedded wheels' BUNDLE_SHA256 verification. A compromised index, stale mirror, or intercepted TLS connection can substitute a different wheel under the requested distribution, version, and filename, after which virtualenv caches and seeds the attacker-controlled wheel into subsequently created environments. The verification applies to the default PyPI path and is intentionally skipped when PIP_INDEX_URL, PIP_EXTRA_INDEX_URL, or PIP_INDEX configures a custom index that may legitimately publish rebuilt wheels. This issue is fixed in version 21.7.12.

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Important · affected: OpenShift Lightspeed, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI), Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces, Red Hat Satellite 6, … · no fix planned: OpenShift Lightspeed, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat OpenShift AI (RHOAI), … · updated 2026-10-19 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-102930.json)
- **RHSA-2026:84734** · Red Hat · fixed in: Red Hat OpenShift AI 3.4 · released 2026-10-19 · [advisory](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:84734)

## Package advisory (CVE-2026-102930)

Affected packages:

- `virtualenv <= 21.7.11`

Patched in:

- `virtualenv 21.7.12`

Source: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-94p9-xgh2-xp45