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CVE-2021-21303

Injection attack in Helm

5.9 MediumFix available

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

1.09%Up 0.3 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 5.9

Injection attack in Helm

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Record
CVE-2021-21303
CVSS 3.1
5.9 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-74
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-1306 5.9

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Record
EUVD-2021-1306
CVSS 3.1
5.9 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-c38g-469g-cmgx 6.5

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output in helm.sh/helm/v3

Since Helm 2 was released, a well-documented aspect of Helm is that the Helm chart's version number MUST follow the SemVer2 specification. In the past, Helm would not permit charts with malformed versions. At some point, a patch was merged that changed this - On a version parse error, the version number was simply passed along as-is. This provided a vector for malicious data to be injected into Helm and potentially used in various ways.

Core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen.

Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields.

All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade.

Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Patches

This issue has been resolved in Helm 3.5.2.

While this fix does not constitute a breaking change, as all field formatting is now enforced as documented, it is possible that charts that were mistakenly allowed (but invalid) may no longer be available in search indexes. Specifically, malformed SemVer versions are no longer supported. This has always been the documented case, but it is true that malformed versions were allowed.

Note that this is the first security release since Helm 2's final deprecation. Helm 2 was not audited for vulnerability to this issue, and should be assumed vulnerable.

Record
GHSA-c38g-469g-cmgx
CVSS 3.1
6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-74
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 5.9

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Record
CVE-2021-21303
CVSS 3.1
5.9 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
CVSS 2.0
3.5 LowAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N
Weakness
CWE-74
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVALPINE-CVE-2021-21303 6.8

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Record
ALPINE-CVE-2021-21303
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
OSVAZL-6470 6.8

CVE-2021-21303 affecting package helm for versions less than 3.4.1-4

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Record
AZL-6470
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
Show 5 moreShow less
OSV 6.8

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Record
CVE-2021-21303
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-c38g-469g-cmgx 6.5

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output in helm.sh/helm/v3

Since Helm 2 was released, a well-documented aspect of Helm is that the Helm chart's version number MUST follow the SemVer2 specification. In the past, Helm would not permit charts with malformed versions. At some point, a patch was merged that changed this - On a version parse error, the version number was simply passed along as-is. This provided a vector for malicious data to be injected into Helm and potentially used in various ways.

Core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen.

Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields.

All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade.

Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Patches

This issue has been resolved in Helm 3.5.2.

While this fix does not constitute a breaking change, as all field formatting is now enforced as documented, it is possible that charts that were mistakenly allowed (but invalid) may no longer be available in search indexes. Specifically, malformed SemVer versions are no longer supported. This has always been the documented case, but it is true that malformed versions were allowed.

Note that this is the first security release since Helm 2's final deprecation. Helm 2 was not audited for vulnerability to this issue, and should be assumed vulnerable.

Record
GHSA-c38g-469g-cmgx
CVSS 3.1
6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-74
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2021-21303 5.9

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2021-21303
CVSS 3.1
5.9 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-helm-2021-21303 No score

Injection attack in Helm

Helm is open-source software which is essentially "The Kubernetes Package Manager". Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. In Helm from version 3.0 and before version 3.5.2, there a few cases where data loaded from potentially untrusted sources was not properly sanitized. When a SemVer in the version field of a chart is invalid, in some cases Helm allows the string to be used "as is" without sanitizing. Helm fails to properly sanitized some fields present on Helm repository index.yaml files. Helm does not properly sanitized some fields in the plugin.yaml file for plugins In some cases, Helm does not properly sanitize the fields in the Chart.yaml file. By exploiting these attack vectors, core maintainers were able to send deceptive information to a terminal screen running the helm command, as well as obscure or alter information on the screen. In some cases, we could send codes that terminals used to execute higher-order logic, like clearing a terminal screen. Further, during evaluation, the Helm maintainers discovered a few other fields that were not properly sanitized when read out of repository index files. This fix remedies all such cases, and once again enforces SemVer2 policies on version fields. All users of the Helm 3 should upgrade to the fixed version 3.5.2 or later. Those who use Helm as a library should verify that they either sanitize this data on their own, or use the proper Helm API calls to sanitize the data.

Record
BIT-helm-2021-21303
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGO-2022-1040 No score

Insufficient sanitization of data files in helm.sh/helm/v3

Helm does not sanitize all fields read from repository data files. A maliciously crafted data file may contain strings containing arbitrary data. If printed to a terminal, a malicious string could obscure or alter data on the screen.

Record
GO-2022-1040
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
helm.sh/helm/v3
Go
3.0.0 up to 3.5.2
3.5.2
helm
Alpine:v3.17
3.0.0 up to 3.6.0-r0
3.6.0-r0
helm
Alpine:v3.18
3.0.0 up to 3.6.0-r0
3.6.0-r0
helm
Alpine:v3.19
3.0.0 up to 3.6.0-r0
3.6.0-r0
helm
Alpine:v3.20
3.0.0 up to 3.6.0-r0
3.6.0-r0
helm
Alpine:v3.21
3.0.0 up to 3.6.0-r0
3.6.0-r0
helm
Alpine:v3.22
3.0.0 up to 3.6.0-r0
3.6.0-r0
helm
Alpine:v3.23
3.0.0 up to 3.6.0-r0
3.6.0-r0
helm
Alpine:v3.24
3.0.0 up to 3.6.0-r0
3.6.0-r0
helm
Azure Linux:2
before 3.4.1-4
3.4.1-4
Show 9 moreShow less
Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
helm
Bitnami
3.0.0 up to 3.5.2
3.5.2
helm
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
1.9.1-11.9.2-1
None known
helm
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
2.8.2-12.8.5-12.8.6-12.8.7-12.8.8-1
None known
helm
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
3.2-13.5.0-33.6.0-1
None known
helm
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
3.7.0-23.8.0-1
None known
helm
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
3.8.4-1
None known
helm
Ubuntu:25.10
All versions, plus listed versions
3.8.4-24.0.3-1
None known
helm
Ubuntu:26.10
All versions, plus listed versions
4.0.6-34.0.7-1
None known
helm
Ubuntu:26.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
4.0.3-14.0.6-14.0.6-24.0.6-3
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, aliases, referencesOSV
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2021-21303 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.9) in Helm, published February 5, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.09%, the 65th percentile. Fixed in helm.sh/helm/v3 3.5.2.

References

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