---
id: CVE-2026-102938
title: virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments
summary: >-
  virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior
  to 21.7.11, PyEnvCfg.write() writes prompt values verbatim to the
  line-oriented pyvenv.cfg format while PyEnvCfg._read_values() parses the file
  with str.splitl…
severity: medium
cvss: 5.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'
cwe:
  - CWE-93
vendor: pypa
product: virtualenv
affected:
  - virtualenv < 21.7.11
published: '2026-09-29'
updated: '2026-09-30'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-30T20:17:25.517'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-102938'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/a30f995461043acb6cacbf3a890951563ccf7140
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/pull/3247'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.7.11'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-9h9j-4vrj-gf7g'
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-102938'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/virtualenv/PYSEC-2026-4012.yaml
  - url: 'https://pypi.org/project/virtualenv'
  - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-9h9j-4vrj-gf7g'
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv'
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-102938.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-102938'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2544266'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-102938'
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:84734'
tags:
  - nvd
  - cve.org
  - ghsa
  - pip
  - osv
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: partial
  timestamp: '2026-09-30T19:53:10.688613Z'
cvssSource: cna
epss: 0.00146
epssPercentile: 0.03826
ingestedAt: '2026-09-29T21:49:08.217Z'
aliases:
  - GHSA-9h9j-4vrj-gf7g
  - PYSEC-2026-4012
  - BIT-virtualenv-2026-102938
ecosystem: pip
patched:
  - virtualenv 21.7.11
scores:
  cna: 5.8
  vendor: 7
---

## Overview

virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.7.11, PyEnvCfg.write() writes prompt values verbatim to the line-oriented pyvenv.cfg format while PyEnvCfg._read_values() parses the file with str.splitlines() and accepts the last value for duplicate keys. An attacker who influences --prompt, VIRTUALENV_PROMPT, or configuration input can insert a recognized line boundary and additional keys, including home, causing consumers to use an attacker-selected base interpreter or corrupted environment metadata. The security impact requires prompt input from outside the operator's trust boundary; directly supplied prompt content primarily corrupts the operator's own environment. This issue is fixed in version 21.7.11.

## Remediation

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

## Package advisory (CVE-2026-102938)

Affected packages:

- `virtualenv <= 21.7.10`

Patched in:

- `virtualenv 21.7.11`

Source: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-9h9j-4vrj-gf7g

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · 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: Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2, OpenShift Lightspeed, 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-2026-102938.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)