CVE-2025-53547

Helm Chart Dependency Updating With Malicious Chart.yaml Content And Symlink Can Lead To Code Execution

HIGH
8.6
CVSS Score
Published: July 8, 2025 at 09:39 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 09:38 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorHelm

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Severity
HIGH8.6
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.5%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

Helm is a package manager for Charts for Kubernetes. Prior to 3.18.4, a specially crafted Chart.yaml file along with a specially linked Chart.lock file can lead to local code execution when dependencies are updated. 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 issue has been resolved in Helm v3.18.4.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 3.17.4v < 3.18.43.18.0 ≤ v < 3.18.4
Affected range stops below 3.17.4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 3.18.4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-94

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