CVE-2020-4053 : Security Advisory and Response

In Helm greater than or equal to 3.0.0 and less than 3.2.4, a path traversal attack is possible when installing Helm plugins from a tar archive over HTTP. This vulnerability allows a malicious plugin author to inject a relative path into a plugin archive, potentially copying a file outside the intended directory. The issue has been addressed in version 3.2.4.

Understanding CVE-2020-4053

This CVE identifies a path traversal vulnerability in Helm, affecting versions between 3.0.0 and 3.2.4.

What is CVE-2020-4053?

The CVE-2020-4053 vulnerability in Helm allows for path traversal attacks during the installation of plugins from a tar archive over HTTP.

The Impact of CVE-2020-4053

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as low severity, with a CVSS base score of 3.7. It requires network access and user interaction to exploit, with no availability impact.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-4053

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability involves improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, enabling path traversal attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Helm
Vendor: The Helm Project
Versions Affected: >= 3.0.0, < 3.2.4

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by a malicious plugin author injecting a relative path into a plugin archive, allowing unauthorized file access.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-4053 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Helm to version 3.2.4 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid installing Helm plugins from untrusted or unknown sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and apply security updates for Helm and its plugins.
Implement network security measures to prevent unauthorized access to Helm installations.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely patching and updates for Helm to address known vulnerabilities.