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CVE-2020-4053

Path Traversal in Helm Plugin Archive

3.7 LowFix available

In Helm greater than or equal to 3.0.0 and less than 3.2.4, a path traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. It is possible for a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, and copy a file outside of the intended directory. This has been fixed in 3.2.4.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

1.46%Up 0.6 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 3.7

Path Traversal in Helm Plugin Archive

In Helm greater than or equal to 3.0.0 and less than 3.2.4, a path traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. It is possible for a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, and copy a file outside of the intended directory. This has been fixed in 3.2.4.

Record
CVE-2020-4053
CVSS 3.1
3.7 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-1385 3.7

In Helm greater than or equal to 3.0.0 and less than 3.2.4, a path traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. It is possible for a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, and copy a file outside of the intended directory. This has been fixed in 3.2.4.

Record
EUVD-2021-1385
CVSS 3.1
3.7 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-qq3j-xp49-j73f 3.7

Plugin archive directory traversal in Helm

The Helm core maintainers have identified an information disclosure vulnerability in Helm 3.0.0-3.2.3.

Impact

A traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. It is possible for a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, and copy a file outside of the intended directory.

Traversal Attacks are a form of a Directory Traversal that can be exploited by extracting files from an archive. The premise of the Directory Traversal vulnerability is that an attacker can gain access to parts of the file system outside of the target folder in which they should reside. The attacker can then overwrite executable files and either invoke them remotely or wait for the system or user to call them, thus achieving Remote Command Execution on the victim's machine. The vulnerability can also cause damage by overwriting configuration files or other sensitive resources, and can be exploited on both client (user) machines and servers.

https://snyk.io/research/zip-slip-vulnerability

Specific Go Packages Affected

helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/plugin/installer

Patches

This issue has been fixed in Helm 3.2.4

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Record
GHSA-qq3j-xp49-j73f
CVSS 3.1
3.7 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 3.7

In Helm greater than or equal to 3.0.0 and less than 3.2.4, a path traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. It is possible for a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, and copy a file outside of the intended directory. This has been fixed in 3.2.4.

Record
CVE-2020-4053
CVSS 3.1
3.7 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
8.5 HighAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 6.8

In Helm greater than or equal to 3.0.0 and less than 3.2.4, a path traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. It is possible for a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, and copy a file outside of the intended directory. This has been fixed in 3.2.4.

Record
CVE-2020-4053
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-qq3j-xp49-j73f 3.7

Plugin archive directory traversal in Helm

The Helm core maintainers have identified an information disclosure vulnerability in Helm 3.0.0-3.2.3.

Impact

A traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. It is possible for a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, and copy a file outside of the intended directory.

Traversal Attacks are a form of a Directory Traversal that can be exploited by extracting files from an archive. The premise of the Directory Traversal vulnerability is that an attacker can gain access to parts of the file system outside of the target folder in which they should reside. The attacker can then overwrite executable files and either invoke them remotely or wait for the system or user to call them, thus achieving Remote Command Execution on the victim's machine. The vulnerability can also cause damage by overwriting configuration files or other sensitive resources, and can be exploited on both client (user) machines and servers.

https://snyk.io/research/zip-slip-vulnerability

Specific Go Packages Affected

helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/plugin/installer

Patches

This issue has been fixed in Helm 3.2.4

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Record
GHSA-qq3j-xp49-j73f
CVSS 3.1
3.7 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-helm-2020-4053 No score

Path Traversal in Helm Plugin Archive

In Helm greater than or equal to 3.0.0 and less than 3.2.4, a path traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. It is possible for a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, and copy a file outside of the intended directory. This has been fixed in 3.2.4.

Record
BIT-helm-2020-4053
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
helm.sh/helm/v3
Go
3.0.0 up to 3.2.4
3.2.4
helm
Bitnami
3.0.0 up to 3.2.4
3.2.4

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-4053 is a low vulnerability (CVSS 3.7) in Helm, published June 16, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.46%, the 73rd percentile. Fixed in helm.sh/helm/v3 3.2.4.

References

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