CVE-2022-23525Network attack vector

Client crash via nil repository index entries

Published Dec 15, 2022 · Updated Apr 18, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Helm before 3.10.3 allows remote attackers to crash the client via a crafted repository index file. The pkg/repo index loader iterates parsed entry arrays and dereferences each element without first rejecting or skipping nil entries. A user or SDK application must parse an attacker-controlled index; the CLI terminates only for that invocation, while a long-running SDK process can lose availability.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.82%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Helm before 3.10.3 allows remote attackers to crash the client via a crafted repository index file. The pkg/repo index loader iterates parsed entry arrays and dereferences each element without first rejecting or skipping nil entries. A user or SDK application must parse an attacker-controlled index; the CLI terminates only for that invocation, while a long-running SDK process can lose availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-23525
Published
Dec 15, 2022
Updated
Apr 18, 2025
Vendor
The Helm Project
Product
Helm
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 15, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 18, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< v3.10.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Helm Project · Helmversion=< v3.10.3

Published CVSS scores

5.3GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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