CVE-2022-36055
Denial of service in Helm
Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. Fuzz testing, provided by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the strvals package that can cause an out of memory panic. The strvals package contains a parser that turns strings in to Go structures. The strvals package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic. Applications that use the strvals package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from. The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client. This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4. SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the strvals functions.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Denial of service in Helm
Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. Fuzz testing, provided by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the strvals package that can cause an out of memory panic. The strvals package contains a parser that turns strings in to Go structures. The strvals package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic. Applications that use the strvals package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from. The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client. This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4. SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the strvals functions.
- Record
CVE-2022-36055- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-6504
Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. Fuzz testing, provided by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the strvals package that can cause an out of memory panic. The strvals package contains a parser that turns strings in to Go structures. The strvals package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic. Applications that use the strvals package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from. The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client. This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4. SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the strvals functions.
- Record
EUVD-2022-6504- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7hfp-qfw3-5jxh
Helm Vulnerable to denial of service through string value parsing
Fuzz testing, by Ada Logics and sponsored by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the _strvals_ package that can cause an out of memory panic. Out of memory panics cannot be recovered from. Applications that use functions from the _strvals_ package in the Helm SDK can have a Denial of Service attack when they use this package and it panics.
Impact
The _strvals_ package contains a parser that turns strings into Go structures. For example, the Helm client has command line flags like --set, --set-string, and others that enable the user to pass in strings that are merged into the values. The _strvals_ package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic.
Applications that use the _strvals_ package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from.
The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client.
Patches
This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4.
Workarounds
SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the _strvals_ functions.
For more information
Helm's security policy is spelled out in detail in our SECURITY document.
Credits
Disclosed by Ada Logics in a fuzzing audit sponsored by CNCF.
- Record
GHSA-7hfp-qfw3-5jxh- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-400, CWE-770
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. Fuzz testing, provided by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the strvals package that can cause an out of memory panic. The strvals package contains a parser that turns strings in to Go structures. The strvals package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic. Applications that use the strvals package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from. The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client. This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4. SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the strvals functions.
- Record
CVE-2022-36055- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-400, CWE-770
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVAZL-10856
CVE-2022-36055 affecting package helm for versions less than 3.9.4-2
Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. Fuzz testing, provided by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the strvals package that can cause an out of memory panic. The strvals package contains a parser that turns strings in to Go structures. The strvals package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic. Applications that use the strvals package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from. The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client. This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4. SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the strvals functions.
- Record
AZL-10856- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Denial of service in Helm
Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. Fuzz testing, provided by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the strvals package that can cause an out of memory panic. The strvals package contains a parser that turns strings in to Go structures. The strvals package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic. Applications that use the strvals package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from. The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client. This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4. SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the strvals functions.
- Record
CVE-2022-36055- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Show 6 moreShow less
OSVGHSA-7hfp-qfw3-5jxh
Helm Vulnerable to denial of service through string value parsing
Fuzz testing, by Ada Logics and sponsored by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the _strvals_ package that can cause an out of memory panic. Out of memory panics cannot be recovered from. Applications that use functions from the _strvals_ package in the Helm SDK can have a Denial of Service attack when they use this package and it panics.
Impact
The _strvals_ package contains a parser that turns strings into Go structures. For example, the Helm client has command line flags like --set, --set-string, and others that enable the user to pass in strings that are merged into the values. The _strvals_ package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic.
Applications that use the _strvals_ package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from.
The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client.
Patches
This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4.
Workarounds
SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the _strvals_ functions.
For more information
Helm's security policy is spelled out in detail in our SECURITY document.
Credits
Disclosed by Ada Logics in a fuzzing audit sponsored by CNCF.
- Record
GHSA-7hfp-qfw3-5jxh- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-400, CWE-770
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-helm-2022-36055 No score
Denial of service in Helm
Helm is a tool for managing Charts. Charts are packages of pre-configured Kubernetes resources. Fuzz testing, provided by the CNCF, identified input to functions in the strvals package that can cause an out of memory panic. The strvals package contains a parser that turns strings in to Go structures. The strvals package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic. Applications that use the strvals package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from. The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client. This issue has been resolved in 3.9.4. SDK users can validate strings supplied by users won't create large arrays causing significant memory usage before passing them to the strvals functions.
- Record
BIT-helm-2022-36055- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGO-2022-0962 No score
Denial of service through string value parsing in helm.sh/helm/v3
Applications that use the strvals package in the Helm SDK to parse user supplied input can suffer a Denial of Service when that input causes a panic that cannot be recovered from.
The strvals package contains a parser that turns strings into Go structures. For example, the Helm client has command line flags like --set, --set-string, and others that enable the user to pass in strings that are merged into the values. The strvals package converts these strings into structures Go can work with. Some string inputs can cause array data structures to be created causing an out of memory panic.
The Helm Client will panic with input to --set, --set-string, and other value setting flags that causes an out of memory panic. Helm is not a long running service so the panic will not affect future uses of the Helm client.
- Record
GO-2022-0962- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:12323-1 No score
helm-3.9.4-2.1 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the helm-3.9.4-2.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:12323-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2025:15779-1 No score
helm3-3.19.2-1.1 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the helm3-3.19.2-1.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2025:15779-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2022:3666-1 No score
Security update for helm
This update for helm fixes the following issues:
helm was updated to version 3.9.4:
- CVE-2022-36055: Fixed denial of service through string value parsing (bsc#1203054).
- Updating the certificates used for testing
- Updating index handling
helm was updated to version 3.9.3:
- CVE-2022-1996: Updated kube-openapi to fix an issue that could result in a CORS protection bypass (bsc#1200528).
- Fix missing array length check on release
helm was updated to version 3.9.2:
- Update of the circleci image
helm was updated to version 3.9.1:
- Update to support Kubernetes 1.24.2
- Improve logging and safety of statefulSetReady
- Make token caching an opt-in feature
- Bump github.com/lib/pq from 1.10.5 to 1.10.6
- Bump github.com/Masterminds/squirrel from 1.5.2 to 1.5.3
helm was updated to version 3.9.0:
- Added a --quiet flag to helm lint
- Added a --post-renderer-args flag to support arguments being passed to the post renderer
- Added more checks during the signing process
- Updated to add Kubernetes 1.24 support
helm was updated to version 3.8.2:
- Bump oras.land/oras-go from 1.1.0 to 1.1.1
- Fixing downloader plugin error handling
- Simplify testdata charts
- Simplify testdata charts
- Add tests for multi-level dependencies.
- Fix value precedence
- Bumping Kubernetes package versions
- Updating vcs to latest version
- Dont modify provided transport
- Pass http getter as pointer in tests
- Add docs block
- Add transport option and tests
- Reuse http transport
- Updating Kubernetes libs to 0.23.4 (latest)
- fix: remove deadcode
- fix: helm package tests
- fix: helm package with dependency update for charts with OCI dependencies
- Fix typo Unset the env var before func return in Unit Test
- add legal name check
- maint: fix syntax error in deploy.sh
- linting issue fixed
- only apply overwrite if version is canary
- overwrite flag added to az storage blob upload-batch
- Avoid querying for OCI tags can explicit version provided in chart dependencies
- Management of bearer tokens for tag listing
- Updating Kubernetes packages to 1.23.3
- refactor: use
os.ReadDirfor lightweight directory reading - Add IngressClass to manifests to be (un)installed
- feat(comp): Shell completion for OCI
- Fix install memory/goroutine leak
- Record
SUSE-SU-2022:3666-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
helm.sh/helm/v3Go |
before 3.9.4 | 3.9.4 |
helmAzure Linux:2 |
before 3.9.4-2 | 3.9.4-2 |
helmBitnami |
3.0.0 up to 3.9.4 | 3.9.4 |
helmSUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 15 SP3 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 | 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 |
helmSUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 15 SP4 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 | 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 |
helmSUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP3 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 | 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 |
helmSUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP4 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 | 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 |
helmopenSUSE:Leap 15.3 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 | 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 |
helmopenSUSE:Leap 15.4 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 | 3.9.4-150000.1.10.3 |
helmopenSUSE:Tumbleweed |
before 3.9.4-2.1 | 3.9.4-2.1 |
helm3openSUSE:Tumbleweed From an advisory covering 20 CVEs |
before 3.19.2-1.1 | 3.19.2-1.1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2022-36055 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Helm, published August 30, 2022. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.12%, the 66th percentile. Fixed in helm.sh/helm/v3 3.9.4.
References
github.com/helm/helm/security/advisories/GHSA-7hfp-qfw3-5jxh
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-36055
pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2022-0962
Show 25 moreShow less
suse.com/support/update/announcement/2022/suse-su-20223666-1
bugzilla.suse.com/1200528