CVE-2020-4053

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

Specific Go Packages Affected

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

This issue has been fixed in Helm 3.2.4

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

• Open an issue in the Helm repository
• For security-specific issues, email us at [email protected]

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

Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.

CVE-2020-4053 has a CVSS score of 3.7 (Low). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.2.4); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2020-4053? CVE-2020-4053 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in helm.sh/helm/v3 (go), affecting versions >= 3.0.0, < 3.2.4. It is fixed in 3.2.4. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
2. How severe is CVE-2020-4053? CVE-2020-4053 has a CVSS score of 3.7 (Low). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of helm.sh/helm/v3 are affected by CVE-2020-4053? helm.sh/helm/v3 (go) versions >= 3.0.0, < 3.2.4 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2020-4053? Yes. CVE-2020-4053 is fixed in 3.2.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2020-4053 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2020-4053 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2020-4053 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2020-4053? Upgrade helm.sh/helm/v3 to 3.2.4 or later.