{"id":"CVE-2026-113726","aliases":["AZL-110076","AZL-110100","BIT-virtualenv-2026-113726","DEBIAN-CVE-2026-113726","EUVD-2026-106869","GHSA-5vjq-rrrf-7h2q","UBUNTU-CVE-2026-113726","openSUSE-SU-2026:12372-1"],"status":"published","title":"virtualenv activate runs commands from the environment name in zsh with PROMPT_SUBST","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","severity":{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high","assessor":"cna","from":"cve"},"epss":{"day":"2026-11-12","score":0.00345,"percentile":0.28421,"model":"v2026.06.15"},"facts":{"in_kev":false,"known_exploited":false,"public_exploit":false,"fix_available":true},"cwes":["CWE-116","CWE-78"],"published":"2026-10-20T22:05:24Z","modified":"2026-11-07T14:18:33Z","fixes":[{"ecosystem":"PyPI","package":"virtualenv","fixed_in":["21.14.4"],"sources":["ghsa","osv"]},{"ecosystem":"Azure Linux:3","package":"python-virtualenv","fixed_in":["20.36.1-10"],"sources":["osv"]},{"ecosystem":"Bitnami","package":"virtualenv","fixed_in":["21.14.4"],"sources":["osv"]}],"affected":[{"source":"ghsa","ecosystem":"PyPI","package":"virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"last_affected":"21.14.3"},{"fixed":"21.14.4"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Azure Linux:3","package":"python-pip","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"last_affected":"24.2-10"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Azure Linux:3","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"20.36.1-10"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Bitnami","package":"virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"SEMVER","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"21.14.4"}]}]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:12","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["20.17.1+ds-1","20.19.0+ds-1","20.21.0+ds-1","20.23.0+ds-1","20.23.0+ds-2","20.24.1+ds-1","20.24.6+ds-1","20.24.6+ds-2","20.25.0+ds-1","20.25.0+ds-2","20.25.1+ds-1","20.26.1+ds-1","20.26.2+ds-1","20.26.6+ds-1","20.27.0+ds-1","20.28.0+ds-1","20.29.1+ds-1","20.29.3+ds-1","20.30.0+ds-1","20.30.0+ds-2","20.30.0+ds-3","20.31.2+ds-1","20.33.1+ds-1","20.34.0+ds-1","20.35.3+ds-1","20.35.4+ds-1","20.36.1+ds-1","20.38.0+ds-1","21.2.0+ds-1","21.2.4+ds-1","21.3.1+ds-1","21.4.1+ds-1","21.5.1+ds-1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:13","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["20.31.2+ds-1","20.31.2+ds-1+deb13u1","20.33.1+ds-1","20.34.0+ds-1","20.35.3+ds-1","20.35.4+ds-1","20.36.1+ds-1","20.38.0+ds-1","21.2.0+ds-1","21.2.4+ds-1","21.3.1+ds-1","21.4.1+ds-1","21.5.1+ds-1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Debian:14","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["20.31.2+ds-1","20.33.1+ds-1","20.34.0+ds-1","20.35.3+ds-1","20.35.4+ds-1","20.36.1+ds-1","20.38.0+ds-1","21.2.0+ds-1","21.2.4+ds-1","21.3.1+ds-1","21.4.1+ds-1","21.5.1+ds-1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"PyPI","package":"virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"21.14.4"}]}],"versions":["0.8","0.8.1","0.8.2","0.8.3","0.8.4","0.9","0.9.1","0.9.2","1.0","1.1","1.10","1.10.1","1.11","1.11.1","1.11.2","1.11.3","1.11.4","1.11.5","1.11.6","1.2","1.3","1.3.1","1.3.2","1.3.3","1.3.4","1.4","1.4.1","1.4.2","1.4.3","1.4.4","1.4.5","1.4.6","1.4.7","1.4.8","1.4.9","1.4rc1","1.5","1.5.1","1.5.2","1.6","1.6.1","1.6.2","1.6.3","1.6.4","1.7","1.7.1","1.7.1.1","1.7.1.2","1.7.2","1.8","1.8.1","1.8.2","1.8.3","1.8.4","1.9","1.9.1","12.0","12.0.1","12.0.2","12.0.4","12.0.5","12.0.6","12.0.7","12.1.0","12.1.1","13.0.0","13.0.1","13.0.2","13.0.3","13.1.0","13.1.1","13.1.2","14.0.0","14.0.1","14.0.2","14.0.3","14.0.4","14.0.5","14.0.6","15.0.0","15.0.1","15.0.2","15.0.3","15.1.0","15.2.0","16.0.0","16.1.0","16.2.0","16.3.0","16.3.1.dev0","16.4.0","16.4.1","16.4.3","16.4.4.dev0","16.5.0","16.6.0","16.6.1","16.6.2","16.7.0","16.7.1","16.7.10","16.7.11","16.7.12","16.7.2","16.7.3","16.7.4","16.7.5","16.7.6","16.7.7","16.7.8","16.7.9","20.0.0","20.0.0b1","20.0.0b2","20.0.1","20.0.10","20.0.11","20.0.12","20.0.13","20.0.14","20.0.15","20.0.16","20.0.17","20.0.18","20.0.19","20.0.2","20.0.20","20.0.21","20.0.22","20.0.23","20.0.24","20.0.25","20.0.26","20.0.27","20.0.28","20.0.29","20.0.3","20.0.30","20.0.31","20.0.32","20.0.33","20.0.34","20.0.35","20.0.4","20.0.5","20.0.6","20.0.7","20.0.8","20.0.9","20.1.0","20.10.0","20.11.0","20.11.1","20.11.2","20.12.0","20.12.1","20.13.0","20.13.1","20.13.2","20.13.3","20.13.4","20.14.0","20.14.1","20.15.0","20.15.1","20.16.0","20.16.1","20.16.2","20.16.3","20.16.4","20.16.5","20.16.6","20.16.7","20.17.0","20.17.1","20.18.0","20.19.0","20.2.0","20.2.1","20.2.2","20.20.0","20.21.0","20.21.1","20.22.0","20.23.0","20.23.1","20.24.0","20.24.1","20.24.2","20.24.3","20.24.4","20.24.5","20.24.6","20.24.7","20.25.0","20.25.1","20.25.2","20.25.3","20.26.0","20.26.1","20.26.2","20.26.3","20.26.4","20.26.5","20.26.6","20.27.0","20.27.1","20.28.0","20.28.1","20.29.0","20.29.1","20.29.2","20.29.3","20.3.0","20.3.1","20.30.0","20.31.0","20.31.1","20.31.2","20.32.0","20.33.0","20.33.1","20.34.0","20.35.0","20.35.1","20.35.2","20.35.3","20.35.4","20.36.0","20.36.1","20.38.0","20.39.0","20.39.1","20.4.0","20.4.1","20.4.2","20.4.3","20.4.4","20.4.5","20.4.6","20.4.7","20.5.0","20.6.0","20.7.0","20.7.1","20.7.2","20.8.0","20.8.1","20.9.0","21.0.0","21.1.0","21.10.0","21.11.0","21.11.1","21.12.0","21.12.1","21.13.0","21.14.0","21.14.1","21.14.2","21.14.3","21.2.0","21.2.1","21.2.2","21.2.3","21.2.4","21.3.0","21.3.1","21.3.2","21.3.3","21.4.0","21.4.1","21.4.2","21.4.3","21.5.0","21.5.1","21.5.2","21.6.0","21.6.1","21.7.0","21.7.1","21.7.10","21.7.11","21.7.12","21.7.13","21.7.14","21.7.15","21.7.16","21.7.2","21.7.3","21.7.4","21.7.5","21.7.6","21.7.7","21.7.8","21.7.9","21.8.1","21.9.0","21.9.1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:14.04:LTS","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["1.10.1-1","1.11-1","1.11-2","1.11.4-1","1.11.4-1ubuntu1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:16.04:LTS","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["1.11.6+ds-1","14.0.5+ds-1","14.0.5+ds-2","14.0.5+ds-4","15.0.0+ds-1","15.0.0+ds-2","15.0.1+ds-1","15.0.1+ds-2","15.0.1+ds-3","15.0.1+ds-3ubuntu1","15.0.1+ds-3ubuntu1.1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:18.04:LTS","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["15.1.0+ds-1","15.1.0+ds-1.1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["15.1.0+ds-2","15.1.0+ds-2build1","15.1.0+ds-2ubuntu1","20.0.13-1","20.0.17-1","20.0.17-1ubuntu0.3","20.0.17-1ubuntu0.4","20.0.17-1ubuntu0.4+esm1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:22.04:LTS","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["20.4.6+ds-2","20.10.0+ds-1","20.12.1+ds-1","20.13.0+ds-1","20.13.0+ds-2","20.13.0+ds-2ubuntu0.1~esm1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:24.04:LTS","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["20.24.1+ds-1","20.24.6+ds-1","20.24.6+ds-2","20.25.0+ds-1","20.25.0+ds-2","20.25.0+ds-2ubuntu0.1~esm1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:26.10","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["20.36.1+ds-1","21.4.1+ds-1","21.5.1+ds-1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:26.04:LTS","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}],"versions":["20.31.2+ds-1","20.35.3+ds-1","20.35.4+ds-1","20.36.1+ds-1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"openSUSE:Tumbleweed","package":"python-virtualenv","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"21.15.1-1.1"}]}],"bundled":9}],"products":[{"vendor":"pypa","product":"virtualenv"}],"references":[{"url":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/security/advisories/GHSA-5vjq-rrrf-7h2q","tags":["x_refsource_CONFIRM","web","advisory","report"]},{"url":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/5b915367da82bd024b2a0d28d2f98007034b4aa2","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","web","fix"]},{"url":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/releases/tag/21.14.4","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","web"]},{"url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-113726","tags":["web","advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-5vjq-rrrf-7h2q"},{"url":"https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/113xxx/CVE-2026-113726.json","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-113726","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv","tags":["package"]},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-113726","tags":["report"]},{"url":"https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-113726","tags":["report"]},{"url":"","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-113714","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-113716","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-113718","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-113720","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-113722","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-113724","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-113726","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-113732","tags":["web"]},{"url":"https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-115586","tags":["web"]}],"sources":{"cve":[{"id":"CVE-2026-113726","title":"virtualenv activate runs commands from the environment name in zsh with PROMPT_SUBST","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-20T22:05:24.253Z","modified":"2026-10-27T21:31:29.377Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high","assessor":"cna"}],"cwes":["CWE-78","CWE-116"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T13:44:29.519518Z"}],"euvd":[{"id":"EUVD-2026-106869","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-20T22:05:24Z","modified":"2026-10-27T21:31:29Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T16:59:22.052945Z"}],"ghsa":[{"id":"GHSA-5vjq-rrrf-7h2q","title":"virtualenv activate runs commands from the environment name in zsh with PROMPT_SUBST","description":"### Impact\n\nzsh users activate an environment with the bash `activate` script, which puts the environment name into `PS1`. Since\n21.13.0 the script escapes backslashes, dollar signs and backticks in that name, but only when `BASH_VERSION` is set, so\nzsh gets the raw value. With the `PROMPT_SUBST` option set, zsh runs parameter expansion, command substitution and\narithmetic expansion on `PS1` each time it draws the prompt. A name that contains `$(...)`, backticks or `${...}` then\nruns as commands in the user's shell, once per prompt.\n\nThe name comes from the environment directory, or from `--prompt` or `VIRTUALENV_PROMPT`. After you create an\nenvironment with:\n\n```console\n$ virtualenv 'x$(touch PWNED)y'\n```\n\n`source 'x$(touch PWNED)y/bin/activate'` in a zsh session with `PROMPT_SUBST` set creates `PWNED`, and the prompt shows\n`(xy)`. Passing that value as `--prompt` to an environment with a plain name has the same effect. Without\n`PROMPT_SUBST`, zsh shows the name as text and runs nothing. bash runs nothing either.\n\nA plain zsh starts with `PROMPT_SUBST` off. oh-my-zsh users have it on: oh-my-zsh loads\n[`lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh`](https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/blob/4d4cfc287e9d887b81242c0e431b5f49f9cec5c1/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh#L5)\nat startup, and that file sets it. An attacker needs to influence the environment path or prompt: a CI job or wrapper\ntool that passes a branch, project or job name through, or a directory in a cloned repository or unpacked archive.\n`--prompt .` takes the current directory's name.\n\nzsh also reads `%` in `PS1` as a prompt escape, so a name with `%n` showed the user name in place of those characters,\nthough without running commands.\n\nThe bug is in releases up to and including 21.14.3. The payload runs on 20.26.6 and 21.14.3, and the reporter confirmed\n21.9.1.\n\n### Patches\n\nFixed in 21.14.4. Under zsh, `activate` now escapes the name the way it does under bash and doubles\n`%`, so the example above runs nothing and the prompt shows the name as given. zsh gets the escaping even when\n`PROMPT_SUBST` is off, because a user can set the option after activation; a name with a backslash, dollar sign or\nbacktick then shows the added backslashes.\nFix: https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/5b915367da82bd024b2a0d28d2f98007034b4aa2\n\n### Workarounds\n\nSet `VIRTUAL_ENV_DISABLE_PROMPT=1` before you source `activate`, which leaves `PS1` alone, or run\n`unsetopt prompt_subst` if your prompt does not need it. Check the name of an environment you did not create before you\nsource its `activate`.\n\n### Credits\n\nKaya Emre Arikan (@kemrec) reported this issue.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-21T16:46:23Z","modified":"2026-10-21T16:46:24Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-78","CWE-116"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:41:33.669646Z"}],"nvd":[{"id":"CVE-2026-113726","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-20T22:19:29.423Z","modified":"2026-10-27T22:17:23.223Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high","assessor":"secondary"}],"cwes":["CWE-78","CWE-116"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:13:01.751479Z"}],"osv":[{"id":"CVE-2026-113726","title":"virtualenv activate runs commands from the environment name in zsh with PROMPT_SUBST","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-20T22:05:24.253Z","modified":"2026-10-31T18:11:55.00256747Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-116","CWE-78"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:44:56.310988Z"},{"id":"DEBIAN-CVE-2026-113726","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-20T22:19:29.423Z","modified":"2026-10-28T09:47:35.547634694Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:45:50.391389Z"},{"id":"GHSA-5vjq-rrrf-7h2q","title":"virtualenv activate runs commands from the environment name in zsh with PROMPT_SUBST","description":"### Impact\n\nzsh users activate an environment with the bash `activate` script, which puts the environment name into `PS1`. Since\n21.13.0 the script escapes backslashes, dollar signs and backticks in that name, but only when `BASH_VERSION` is set, so\nzsh gets the raw value. With the `PROMPT_SUBST` option set, zsh runs parameter expansion, command substitution and\narithmetic expansion on `PS1` each time it draws the prompt. A name that contains `$(...)`, backticks or `${...}` then\nruns as commands in the user's shell, once per prompt.\n\nThe name comes from the environment directory, or from `--prompt` or `VIRTUALENV_PROMPT`. After you create an\nenvironment with:\n\n```console\n$ virtualenv 'x$(touch PWNED)y'\n```\n\n`source 'x$(touch PWNED)y/bin/activate'` in a zsh session with `PROMPT_SUBST` set creates `PWNED`, and the prompt shows\n`(xy)`. Passing that value as `--prompt` to an environment with a plain name has the same effect. Without\n`PROMPT_SUBST`, zsh shows the name as text and runs nothing. bash runs nothing either.\n\nA plain zsh starts with `PROMPT_SUBST` off. oh-my-zsh users have it on: oh-my-zsh loads\n[`lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh`](https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/blob/4d4cfc287e9d887b81242c0e431b5f49f9cec5c1/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh#L5)\nat startup, and that file sets it. An attacker needs to influence the environment path or prompt: a CI job or wrapper\ntool that passes a branch, project or job name through, or a directory in a cloned repository or unpacked archive.\n`--prompt .` takes the current directory's name.\n\nzsh also reads `%` in `PS1` as a prompt escape, so a name with `%n` showed the user name in place of those characters,\nthough without running commands.\n\nThe bug is in releases up to and including 21.14.3. The payload runs on 20.26.6 and 21.14.3, and the reporter confirmed\n21.9.1.\n\n### Patches\n\nFixed in 21.14.4. Under zsh, `activate` now escapes the name the way it does under bash and doubles\n`%`, so the example above runs nothing and the prompt shows the name as given. zsh gets the escaping even when\n`PROMPT_SUBST` is off, because a user can set the option after activation; a name with a backslash, dollar sign or\nbacktick then shows the added backslashes.\nFix: https://github.com/pypa/virtualenv/commit/5b915367da82bd024b2a0d28d2f98007034b4aa2\n\n### Workarounds\n\nSet `VIRTUAL_ENV_DISABLE_PROMPT=1` before you source `activate`, which leaves `PS1` alone, or run\n`unsetopt prompt_subst` if your prompt does not need it. Check the name of an environment you did not create before you\nsource its `activate`.\n\n### Credits\n\nKaya Emre Arikan (@kemrec) reported this issue.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-21T16:46:23Z","modified":"2026-10-29T10:55:33.825448161Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-116","CWE-78"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:46:38.911014Z"},{"id":"UBUNTU-CVE-2026-113726","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-20T22:19:00Z","modified":"2026-10-28T20:17:44.807974378Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T16:55:59.591851Z"},{"id":"AZL-110076","title":"CVE-2026-113726 affecting package python-pip 24.2-10","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-20T22:19:29Z","modified":"2026-10-27T05:36:16Z","updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:28:02.044071Z"},{"id":"AZL-110100","title":"CVE-2026-113726 affecting package python-virtualenv for versions less than 20.36.1-10","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-20T22:19:29Z","modified":"2026-11-07T14:18:33.829352779Z","updated_at":"2026-11-07T14:48:11.583685Z"},{"id":"BIT-virtualenv-2026-113726","title":"virtualenv activate runs commands from the environment name in zsh with PROMPT_SUBST","description":"virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.13.0, the bash activate script that zsh also sources leaves the environment name unescaped; from 21.13.0 until 21.14.4, it escapes backslashes, dollar signs, and backticks only when BASH_VERSION is set, so zsh receives the raw value. The script assigns that value to PS1. In zsh with PROMPT_SUBST, an attacker-influenced environment directory, --prompt, or VIRTUALENV_PROMPT value containing command, parameter, or arithmetic expansion syntax can therefore execute commands in the user's shell each time the prompt is drawn. A percent sign is separately interpreted as a zsh prompt escape but does not by itself execute commands. Plain zsh with PROMPT_SUBST disabled and bash are not affected by this mechanism. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.4.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-29T09:00:43.777Z","modified":"2026-10-29T10:55:33.825448161Z","updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:28:36.104787Z"},{"id":"openSUSE-SU-2026:12372-1","title":"python313-virtualenv-21.15.1-1.1 on GA media","description":"These are all security issues fixed in the python313-virtualenv-21.15.1-1.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.","status":"published","published":"2026-10-30T00:00:00Z","modified":"2026-10-31T18:00:07.440229022Z","updated_at":"2026-11-02T16:58:41.463445Z"}]}}