Vulnerability details

CVE-2025-53547

helm helm

Helm Chart Dependency Updating With Malicious Chart.yaml Content And Symlink Can Lead To Code Execution

CVSS 3.1

8.5High

Official description

Helm is a package manager for Charts for Kubernetes. Prior to 3.18.4, a specially crafted Chart.yaml file along with a specially linked Chart.lock file can lead to local code execution when dependencies are updated. Fields in a Chart.yaml file, that are carried over to a Chart.lock file when dependencies are updated and this file is written, can be crafted in a way that can cause execution if that same content were in a file that is executed (e.g., a bash.rc file or shell script). If the Chart.lock file is symlinked to one of these files updating dependencies will write the lock file content to the symlinked file. This can lead to unwanted execution. Helm warns of the symlinked file but did not stop execution due to symlinking. This issue has been resolved in Helm v3.18.4.

CVSS scores

Score	Version	Source	Vector
8.5High	3.1	CVEProject cvelistV5 (CNA) (GitHub_M)	`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H`

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Versions	Source
helm	helm	< 3.18.4	CVEProject cvelistV5 (CNA)

References and advisories

https://github.com/helm/helm/security/advisories/GHSA-557j-xg8c-q2mm x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/4b8e61093d8f579f1165cdc6bd4b43fa5455f571 x_refsource_MISC
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44506696

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Details

Published: 2025-07-09
Last updated: 2026-02-26
State: Published
Assigner (CNA): GitHub_M

Exploit prediction (EPSS)

0.49%

Probability of exploitation in 30 days

42.6%

Percentile (among all CVEs)

SSVC assessment (CISA)

Automatable: No
Exploitation: None
Technical impact: Total

Weaknesses (CWE)

CWE-94
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')