CVE-2020-15184: Aliases are never checked in Helm
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2020-15184 is a medium (CVSS 4.0) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in helm. EPSS estimates a 1.03% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 63.7% of scored vulnerabilities.
Not severe (CVSS 3.7, network access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 1 · Related 1Timeline
- 17-09-2020PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 04-08-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
In Helm before versions 2.16.11 and 3.3.2 there is a bug in which the `alias` field on a `Chart.yaml` is not properly sanitized. This could lead to the injection of unwanted information into a chart. This issue has been patched in Helm 3.3.2 and 2.16.11. A possible workaround is to manually review the `dependencies` field of any untrusted chart, verifying that the `alias` field is either not used, or (if used) does not contain newlines or path characters.
CVSS metrics
4 scores · 3 sources · 2 versions- OSV · GoEcosystem advisory · calculated3.7LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
- NVDNIST2.7LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:NDiffers
EPSS trend
Probability
1.03%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
64%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 1.03% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root cause- CWE-20Improper Input ValidationThe product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.
- CWE-74Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream ComponentThe product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.
Affected systems
Known conditions: network-reachable, no authentication, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Helm1 product
- helm≥ 2.0.0, < 2.16.11 | ≥ 3.0.0, < 3.3.2
Helm.sh1 product
- helm< 2.16.11
Helm.sh/helm1 product
- v3≥ 3.0.0, < 3.3.2
3 vendors · 3 products
References
5 links- github.com/helm/helm/security/advisories/GHSA-9vp5-m38w-j776X Refsource CONFIRMWEBThird Party Advisory
- github.com/helm/helm/commit/e7c281564d8306e1dcf8023d97f972449ad74850X Refsource MISCWEBPatchThird Party Advisory
- github.com/helm/helmPACKAGE