CVE-2026-45132: CloudPirates Open Source Helm Charts: GitHub Actions workflow leaks PAT and SSH signing key via unsafe credential handling

Synopsis

An unsafe credential handling vulnerability in the CloudPirates Open Source Helm Charts GitHub Actions workflow (generate-schema.yaml) exposes a Personal Access Token and an SSH signing key to code controlled by fork contributors. The vulnerability is reachable over the network without any authentication, meaning any external actor who can submit a pull request to the repository can trigger the workflow and capture the leaked secrets. Successful exploitation gives the attacker full read and write access to anything authorized by the stolen PAT and SSH key, including the ability to tamper with repository contents, packages, or downstream release artifacts. HarborGuard tracks this advisory and will make a patched-image rebuild available the moment an upstream fix version is published.

HarborGuard Coverage

Exploit Conditions

• Network reachabilityRequired

  The attacker must reach the GitHub Actions workflow over the network by submitting or controlling a pull request that triggers the vulnerable workflow.

• AuthenticationNot required

  No authentication is required; any unauthenticated or anonymous actor with the ability to open a pull request can trigger the credential leak.

• Victim interactionNot required

  No victim interaction is needed; the workflow runs automatically on pull request events without requiring any action from a maintainer or reviewer.

• Attack complexityDetail

  Attack complexity is low, meaning the exploit is reliable and requires no special conditions, race timing, or environmental factors to succeed.

Blast Radius

• The attacker captures the repository's Personal Access Token, gaining read and write access to every resource the token is authorized for, including code, packages, and GitHub API operations.
• The attacker obtains the SSH signing key, allowing them to forge signed commits or tags that appear to originate from a trusted maintainer.
• An attacker with the stolen PAT can modify release artifacts or Helm chart packages published downstream, introducing malicious content into any environment that consumes those charts.