Description
virtualenv is a tool for creating isolated virtual python environments. Prior to version 20.36.1, TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) vulnerabilities in virtualenv allow local attackers to perform symlink-based attacks on directory creation operations. An attacker with local access can exploit a race condition between directory existence checks and creation to redirect virtualenv's app_data and lock file operations to attacker-controlled locations. This issue has been patched in version 20.36.1.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| pypa | virtualenv | < 20.36.1 | — |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | python-virtualenv | 20.36.1+ds-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | python-virtualenv | 20.31.2+ds-1+deb13u1 | — |
| Debian 12 | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 24.04 LTS | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 22.04 LTS | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 3 | python-virtualenv | 20.22.0-150400.9.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0233-1 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | python-virtualenv | 20.29.3-160000.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20129-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | python-virtualenv | 20.29.3-160000.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20129-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | python-virtualenv | 20.36.1-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:10055-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | python-virtualenv | 20.29.3-160000.3.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:20086-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.6 | python-virtualenv | 20.22.0-150400.9.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0233-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | python3.13-virtualenv | 20.21.1-1.amzn2023.0.2 | ALAS2023-2026-1428 |
Azure Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Linux 3 | python-virtualenv | 20.36.1-1 | — |
| Azure Linux 2 (CBL-Mariner) | python-virtualenv | No fix yet | — |
Wolfi
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfi rolling | py3-cassandra-medusa | 0.27.0-r2 | — |
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PyPI | virtualenv | < 20.36.1 | 20.36.1 | GHSA-597g-3phw-6986 |
Advisories 7
- WID-SEC-2026-4090 Oracle Communications: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 11, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-2933 Splunk SOAR: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 2, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:20086-1 Security update for python-virtualenv SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:10055-1 python311-virtualenv-20.36.1-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20129-1 Security update for python-virtualenv SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:0233-1 Security update for python-virtualenv SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- ALAS2023-2026-1428 Moderate: python3.13-virtualenv security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Feb 18, 2026