# CVE-2026-113724: virtualenv: Deletion recovery can change a symlink target's mode


- **Severity:** Medium 4.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 27 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-111521, BIT-virtualenv-2026-113724, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-113724, ECHO-82fe-0e7b-4468, GHSA-43mp-35q3-x3fq, MINI-pcjv-mh87-43jr, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-113724

## What is CVE-2026-113724?

CVE-2026-113724 is a medium-severity vulnerability in pypa virtualenv, published on 20 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to 21.14.9, the safe_delete() deletion error handler responds to a failed removal by reading mode bits with os.lstat(path) and applying owner-write permission with os.chmod(path, ...), which follows a symlink. A planted link inside a read-only directory can therefore cause a victim-owned target outside the destination that is initially not writable by the invoking user to become broadly writable before the retry fails, provided that user owns the target and can change its mode. Another account can use the widened mode only if it can traverse the target's parent directories; root does not reach the demonstrated failure path, and the operation does not itself read the target. This issue is fixed in version 21.14.9.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-113724?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including virtualenv.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `virtualenv` | Bitnami | All versions | 21.14.9 |
| `virtualenv` | PyPI | All versions | 21.14.9 |
| `virtualenv` | PyPI | All versions | 21.14.9 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-113724?

Upgrade virtualenv to 21.14.9 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-113724 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-113724 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-113724 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-113724 is a medium-severity vulnerability in pypa virtualenv, published on 20 Oct 2026. 
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-113724 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- virtualenv (Bitnami): affected all versions; fixed in 21.14.9
- virtualenv (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 21.14.9
- virtualenv (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 21.14.9

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-113724/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-113724/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-113724
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-113724
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-113724

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-113724/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.