---
id: CVE-2026-113714
title: 'virtualenv: Downloaded wheel selection and caching precede verification'
summary: >-
  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
  text…
severity: low
cvss: 2.3
cvssVector: 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'
cvssSource: cna
cwe:
  - CWE-354
vendor: pypa
product: virtualenv
affected:
  - virtualenv < 21.14.9
published: '2026-10-20'
updated: '2026-10-20'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-20T19:19:51.080Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-113714'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3'
    label: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-494p-63j8-28p3'
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/pull/3430'
    label: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/pull/3430'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/7babec66e043e1cc8bc66869a063653898719d96
    label: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/7babec66e043e1cc8bc66869a063653898719d96
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.9'
    label: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.9'
tags:
  - cve.org
ingestedAt: '2026-10-20T20:18:14.541Z'
---

## Overview

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.

## Affected

- `virtualenv < 21.14.9`

## Remediation

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