---
id: CVE-2026-113725
title: >-
  virtualenv bash activate runs commands from an environment name with a
  backslash before $
summary: >-
  virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior
  to 21.14.7, the bash activate script escapes the environment name for only one
  of the two passes bash makes over PS1, so a backslash in the name undoes the
  esc…
severity: high
cvss: 7.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: cna
cwe:
  - CWE-78
  - CWE-116
vendor: pypa
product: virtualenv
affected:
  - virtualenv < 21.14.7
published: '2026-10-20'
updated: '2026-10-20'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-20T19:56:52.195Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-113725'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7'
    label: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-vxj4-q4g9-crj7'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/c3104e02474b652832a9bbaae79f6e1696296932
    label: >-
      https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/c3104e02474b652832a9bbaae79f6e1696296932
  - url: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.7'
    label: 'https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.7'
tags:
  - cve.org
ingestedAt: '2026-10-20T20:18:14.528Z'
---

## Overview

virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.7, the bash activate script escapes the environment name for only one of the two passes bash makes over PS1, so a backslash in the name undoes the escaping and a name containing \$(...) runs as commands in the user's shell each time bash draws the prompt. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.7.

## Affected

- `virtualenv < 21.14.7`

## Remediation

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