GHSA-rqc4-2hc7-8c8v is a high-severity (CVSS 8.4) remote code execution vulnerability in virtualenv. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for virtualenv — see the affected versions and patch details below.
virtualenv allows command injection through activation scripts for a virtual environment
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for GHSA-rqc4-2hc7-8c8v.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
GHSA-rqc4-2hc7-8c8v by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). Outside the shaded patch-first corner.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 379,842 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Counts from FIRST.org, log-scaled.
Real-World Exposure
virtualenvReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
virtualenv before 20.26.6 allows command injection through the activation scripts for a virtual environment. Magic template strings are not quoted correctly when replacing. NOTE: this is not the same as CVE-2024-9287.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | virtualenv | all versions | 20.26.6pip install --upgrade 'virtualenv==20.26.6' |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for virtualenv, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update virtualenv to 20.26.6 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-rqc4-2hc7-8c8v is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Stop passing untrusted input into the interpreter or shell: call the affected binary with an argument array rather than a composed command string, reject anything outside a strict allowlist of expected values, and run the component under an account that cannot reach beyond the work it legitimately does.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.Source: Red Hat security advisory for GHSA-rqc4-2hc7-8c8v (CC BY 4.0)
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Support | python-virtualenv-0:15.1.0-7.el7_9.1 | RHSA-2024:11048 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | python36:3.6-8100020241203074044.4c5117ad | RHSA-2024:10953 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update Support | python36:3.6-8020020241213084804.606b8f18 | RHSA-2024:11091 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support | python36:3.6-8040020241213073301.9bf6f064 | RHSA-2025:0002 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support | python36:3.6-8060020241213062726.448f2761 | RHSA-2024:11094 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update Support | python36:3.6-8080020241205132428.075014fc | RHSA-2024:11093 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces 3 Containers | devspaces/udi-rhel9:3.18-1 | RHSA-2025:0892 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-rqc4-2hc7-8c8v in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.