Summary
Helm vulnerable to Code Injection through malicious chart.yaml content
A Helm contributor discovered that a specially crafted Chart.yaml file along with a specially linked Chart.lock file can lead to local code execution when dependencies are updated.
Workarounds
Ensure the Chart.lock file in a chart is not a symlink prior to updating dependencies.
For more information
Helm's security policy is spelled out in detail in our SECURITY document.
Credits
Disclosed by Jakub Ciolek at AlphaSense.
Impact
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 affects when dependencies are updated. When using the helm command this happens when helm dependency update is run. helm dependency build can write a lock file when one does not exist but this vector requires one to already exist. This affects the Helm SDK when the downloader Manager performs an update.
Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution within the application's privilege context.
CVE-2025-53547 has a CVSS score of 8.5 (High). The vector is requires local access, no 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 (3.18.4, 3.17.4); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
This issue has been resolved in Helm v3.18.4
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-53547? CVE-2025-53547 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in helm.sh/helm/v3 (go), affecting versions >= 3.18.0-rc.1, < 3.18.4. It is fixed in 3.18.4, 3.17.4. Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment.
- How severe is CVE-2025-53547? CVE-2025-53547 has a CVSS score of 8.5 (High). 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.
- Which versions of helm.sh/helm/v3 are affected by CVE-2025-53547? helm.sh/helm/v3 (go) versions >= 3.18.0-rc.1, < 3.18.4 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-53547? Yes. CVE-2025-53547 is fixed in 3.18.4, 3.17.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2025-53547 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-53547 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
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-53547 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.
- How do I fix CVE-2025-53547?
- Upgrade
helm.sh/helm/v3to 3.18.4 or later - Upgrade
helm.sh/helm/v3to 3.17.4 or later
- Upgrade