# CVE-2020-15185: Duplicated chart entries in Helm

> An attacker with write access to a Helm repository index can inject malicious charts, leading to code execution during installation.

- **Severity:** Low 2.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Sep 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-helm-2020-15185, GHSA-jm56-5h66-w453

## What is CVE-2020-15185?

CVE-2020-15185 is a low-severity vulnerability in helm, published on 17 Sep 2020. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Helm before versions 2.16.11 and 3.3.2, a Helm repository can contain duplicates of the same chart, with the last one always used. If a repository is compromised, this lowers the level of access that an attacker needs to inject a bad chart into a repository. To perform this attack, an attacker must have write access to the index file (which can occur during a MITM attack on a non-SSL connection). This issue has been patched in Helm 3.3.2 and 2.16.11. A possible workaround is to manually review the index file in the Helm repository cache before installing software.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), CWE-694 (Use of Multiple Resources with Duplicate Identifier)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-15185?

5 open source packages ship an affected version, including helm.sh/helm, helm and helm.sh/helm/v3. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `helm.sh/helm` | Go | All versions | 2.16.11 |
| `helm.sh/helm` | Go | All versions | 2.16.11 |
| `helm` | Bitnami | From 2.0.0 | 2.16.11, 3.3.2 |
| `helm.sh/helm/v3` | Go | From 3.0.0 | 3.3.2 |
| `helm.sh/helm/v3` | Go | From 3.0.0 | 3.3.2 |

Products: Helm Helm.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-15185?

Upgrade helm.sh/helm to 2.16.11 or later.

## Is CVE-2020-15185 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-15185 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in helm

- [CVE-2019-18658](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18658/): Helm Unsafe Link Following (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-1010275](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1010275/): Helm Improper Certificate Validation (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-25210](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-25210/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2025-53547](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-53547/): Helm Chart Dependency Updating With Malicious Chart.yaml Content And Symlink Can Lead To Code Execution (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2020-11013](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11013/): lookup Function Information Discolosure in Helm (high 8.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-15185 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-15185 is a low-severity vulnerability in helm, published on 17 Sep 2020. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-15185 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- helm.sh/helm (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.16.11
- helm.sh/helm (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 2.16.11
- helm (Bitnami): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.16.11, 3.3.2
- helm.sh/helm/v3 (Go): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.3.2
- helm.sh/helm/v3 (Go): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.3.2

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15185/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15185/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-15185
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15185
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-15185

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15185/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.