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.
Published: 2026-10-20
Score: 4.5 Medium
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
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History

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 20:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
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.
Title virtualenv: Deletion recovery can change a symlink target's mode
Weaknesses CWE-59
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L'}


Subscriptions

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-20T19:53:29.357Z

Reserved: 2026-10-20T16:03:14.863Z

Link: CVE-2026-113724

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-10-20T20:17:19.113

Modified: 2026-10-20T20:17:19.113

Link: CVE-2026-113724

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses
  • CWE-59

    Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')