CVE-2026-35204 — Helm has a path traversal in plugin metadata version enables arbitrary file write outside Helm plugin directory
Helm is a package manager for Charts for Kubernetes. From 4.0.0 to 4.1.3, a specially crafted Helm plugin, when installed or updated, will cause Helm to write the contents of the plugin to an arbitrary filesystem location. To prevent this, validate that the plugin.yaml of the Helm plugin does not include a version: field containing POSIX dot-dot path separators ie. "/../". This vulnerability is fixed in 4.1.4.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented mitigation — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Helm Helm).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (file handling), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.4 | CVSS 4.0 | High | — | — | security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 8.4 | CVSS 4.0 | High | — | — | GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 8.6 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 6.0 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 8.2 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.5 | 6.0 | 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.20%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Monitor file creation in web directories and paths with traversal sequences (../).
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · helm/helm
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 8.6
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
7 on the record
- github.com/helm/helm/security/advisories/GHSA-vmx8-mqv2-9gmg
- github.com/helm/helm/commit/36c8539e99bc42d7aef9b87d136254662d04f027
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:26441
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi
- security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-35204.json
- github.com/helm/helm/releases/tag/v4.1.4
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-35204
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Medium CVE-2026-63308 Helm Files.Lines Denial of Service via Empty Chart Files Jul 17, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-35206 Helm Chart extraction output directory collapse via `Chart.yaml` name dot-segment Apr 9, 2026
- High CVE-2026-35205 Helm's plugin verification fails open when .prov is missing, allowing unsigned plugin install Apr 9, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-35204 is "Helm has a path traversal in plugin metadata version enables arbitrary file write outside Helm plugin directory", rated High. It affects Helm (Helm); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 8.6 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.20% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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