---
id: CVE-2020-15185
aliases:
  - GHSA-jm56-5h66-w453
  - BIT-helm-2020-15185
title: Repository index file allows for duplicates of the same chart entry in helm
summary: Repository index file allows for duplicates of the same chart entry in helm
severity: low
cvss: 2.2
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N'
vendor: helm
product: helm.sh/helm/v3
ecosystem: go
affected:
  - 'helm.sh/helm/v3 >= 3.0.0, < 3.3.2'
  - helm.sh/helm < 2.16.11
patched:
  - helm.sh/helm/v3 3.3.2
  - helm.sh/helm 2.16.11
published: '2021-05-24'
updated: '2026-07-08'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-jm56-5h66-w453'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/helm/helm/security/advisories/GHSA-jm56-5h66-w453'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15185'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/055dd41cbe53ce131ab0357524a7f6729e6e40dc
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/6aab63765f99050b115f0aec3d6350c85e8da946
tags:
  - osv
  - go
epss: 0.00883
epssPercentile: 0.57476
ingestedAt: '2026-07-09T18:56:36.588Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact

During a security audit of Helm's code base, security researchers at Trail of Bits identified a bug in which the 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).

### Specific Go Packages Affected
helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/repo

### Patches

This issue has been patched in Helm 3.3.2 and 2.16.11

### Workarounds

- do not install charts from repositories you do not trust
- fetch charts using a secure channel of communication (such as TLS)
- use `helm pull` to fetch the chart, then review the chart’s content (either manually, or with `helm verify` if it has been signed) to ensure it has not been tampered with
- manually review the index file in the Helm repository cache before installing software.

## Affected packages

- `helm.sh/helm/v3 >= 3.0.0, < 3.3.2`
- `helm.sh/helm < 2.16.11`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `helm.sh/helm/v3 3.3.2`
- `helm.sh/helm 2.16.11`