virtualenv: Pip seeding with download omits wheel digest verification

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

2.3 · 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 · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2026-113717: 0.29% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 21.95 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary The pip seeder acquires bundled wheels with download=False and lets pip access the index when --download is selected. Index candidates on that path do not pass through virtualenv's wheel digest verification. Anthropic's OSS Scanner reported this as `ANT-2026-74ALJBUF` in `virtualenv-20261015-005`, received on 15 October 2026.

Affected area Wheel selection by the pip seeder when downloads are enabled.

Attacker-controlled input The pip seeder and download option must be selected. The finding concerns the default-index digest-verification policy. Explicit custom-index settings already opt out of comparison against PyPI metadata; this patch retains that policy.

Affected code The relevant 21.14.8 source is in pip seeder.

Mechanism With `--seeder pip --download`, `PipInvoke.get_pip_install_cmd()` first calls `get_wheel(download=False)`, so…

Published by the source

23 Oct 2026, 22:26 UTC

Last modified by the source

29 Oct 2026, 10:55 UTC

Source last checked

30 Oct 2026, 07:20 UTC

1. Revision 7 · amended · 30 Oct 2026

   Amended from osv record BIT-virtualenv-2026-113717

2. Revision 6 · amended · 30 Oct 2026

   Amended from osv record GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q

3. Revision 5 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q

4. Revision 4 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q

5. Revision 3 · amended · 24 Oct 2026

   Reviewed OSV alias/range/CVSS4 correction; package source scopes and original publication preserved. No customer finding resolved.

6. Revision 2 · amended · 24 Oct 2026

   Amended from osv record GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q

7. Revision 1 · created · 23 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-113717

Advisory: virtualenv: Pip seeding with download omits wheel digest verification
IDs: CVE-2026-113717, GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-113717 (revision 7, source checked 30 Oct 2026, 07:20 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Low (CVSS 2.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: virtualenv 21.14.9; virtualenv 21.14.9. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI virtualenv: affected < 21.14.9; fixed in 21.14.9
- Bitnami virtualenv: affected < 21.14.9; fixed in 21.14.9

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show virtualenv`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.
- Bitnami virtualenv: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on virtualenv.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q lists affected ranges: PyPI virtualenv >=0 <21.14.9)
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q (OSV record GHSA-cx28-75q4-x26q lists affected ranges: PyPI virtualenv >=0 <21.14.9 (fixed))
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/BIT-virtualenv-2026-113717 (OSV record BIT-virtualenv-2026-113717 lists affected ranges: Bitnami virtualenv >=0 <21.14.9 (fixed))

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