---
id: CVE-2020-15186
aliases:
  - GHSA-m54r-vrmv-hw33
  - BIT-helm-2020-15186
title: Improper Sanitizing of plugin names in helm
summary: Improper Sanitizing of plugin names in helm
severity: low
cvss: 3.4
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/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-m54r-vrmv-hw33'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/helm/helm/security/advisories/GHSA-m54r-vrmv-hw33'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15186'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/809e2d999e2c33e20e77f6bff30652d79c287542
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/helm/helm/commit/c8d6b01d72c9604e43ee70d0d78fadd54c2d8499
  - url: 'https://github.com/helm/helm'
tags:
  - osv
  - go
epss: 0.00962
epssPercentile: 0.60029
ingestedAt: '2026-07-09T18:56:36.608Z'
---

## Overview

### Impact

Security researchers at Trail of Bits discovered that plugin names are not sanitized properly. As a result, a malicious plugin author could use characters in a plugin name that would result in unexpected behavior, such as duplicating the name of another plugin or spoofing the output to `helm --help`.

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

### Patches

This issue has been patched in Helm 3.3.2.

### Workarounds

Do not install untrusted Helm plugins. Examine the `name` field in the `plugin.yaml` file for a plugin, looking for characters outside of the [a-zA-Z0-9._-] range.

## 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`