CVE-2026-76232 in Renovate
Summary
by MITRE • 08/19/2026
Renovate versions from 31.51.0 before 40.33.0 contain a command injection vulnerability in the helmv3 manager where the repository parameter is appended to helm registry login commands without proper sanitization. Attackers with repository write access can craft malicious Chart.yaml files to execute arbitrary commands on the machine running Renovate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the helmv3 package manager integration of Renovate, specifically affecting versions ranging from 31.51.0 up to but not including 40.33.0. This vulnerability constitutes a command injection weakness that arises due to insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input when constructing shell commands for interacting with Helm registries. The core technical issue involves the repository parameter, which is intended to specify the target registry for operations such as logging in or pulling charts. Instead of being treated strictly as data within a structured API call or properly escaped string argument, this value is directly concatenated into command-line strings that are subsequently executed by the underlying operating system shell. This architectural decision bypasses standard input validation mechanisms and allows special characters to be interpreted as executable commands rather than literal text.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations utilizing Renovate in automated dependency update workflows. An attacker who possesses write access to a Helm repository can craft a malicious Chart.yaml file that contains specially crafted metadata or configuration values within the repository parameter field. When Renovate processes updates from this compromised repository, it invokes the helm registry login command using the tainted input. Because the shell interprets the injected characters as part of the command syntax, arbitrary commands are executed on the host machine running the Renovate instance with the privileges of that process. This effectively grants an attacker remote code execution capabilities within the context of the CI/CD pipeline or development environment where Renovate operates, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or lateral movement across internal networks.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command, commonly known as OS Command Injection. The attack vector leverages the trust relationship between the automation tool and external repositories, exploiting the fact that Renovate processes metadata from sources it does not fully control. In terms of offensive security frameworks, this behavior maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, where an adversary uses system utilities like shell interpreters to execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability highlights a critical risk in supply chain security, as the integrity of automated dependency management tools can be undermined by malicious content hosted within trusted package registries if input handling is not rigorously enforced.
Mitigation strategies must focus on immediate version updates and architectural hardening. Organizations should upgrade Renovate to version 40.33.0 or later, where this specific command injection flaw has been addressed through improved input validation and safer execution methods that avoid direct shell interpretation of repository parameters. In the interim, if upgrading is not immediately feasible, it is advisable to restrict write access to Helm repositories used by Renovate instances to only trusted personnel and implement strict code review processes for any Chart.yaml modifications. Additionally, running Renovate with minimal privileges can help limit the blast radius in case a successful exploitation occurs, ensuring that even if arbitrary commands are executed, they cannot escalate to root or access sensitive system resources.