feat: add HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS env var to skip vals processing

Signed-off-by: Jim Robinson <1643772+jimmyR@users.noreply.github.com>
This commit is contained in:
Jim Robinson 2026-03-07 14:11:08 +00:00
parent c6e7249eb9
commit 6bae70b61e
6 changed files with 380 additions and 14 deletions

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@ -581,6 +581,8 @@ Helmfile uses some OS environment variables to override default behaviour:
* `HELMFILE_DISABLE_INSECURE_FEATURES` - disable insecure features, expecting `true` lower case
* `HELMFILE_DISABLE_RUNNER_UNIQUE_ID` - disable unique logging ID, expecting any non-empty value
* `HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS` - disable internal vals processing, `ref+` values pass through unchanged for use with external vals, expecting `true` lower case
* `HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS_STRICT` - disable vals and error if any `ref+` values are detected, expecting `true` lower case
* `HELMFILE_SKIP_INSECURE_TEMPLATE_FUNCTIONS` - disable insecure template functions, expecting `true` lower case
* `HELMFILE_USE_HELM_STATUS_TO_CHECK_RELEASE_EXISTENCE` - expecting non-empty value to use `helm status` to check release existence, instead of `helm list` which is the default behaviour
* `HELMFILE_EXPERIMENTAL` - enable experimental features, expecting `true` lower case

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@ -54,4 +54,64 @@ service:
login: svc-login # fetched from vault
password: pass
```
```
## Disabling vals
You can disable the built-in vals processing using environment variables:
### Pass-through mode
Set `HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS=true` to disable internal vals processing. Any `ref+` values will pass through unchanged, allowing you to validate them with a policy tool such as [conftest](https://www.conftest.dev/) before they are resolved:
```bash
HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS=true helmfile template | conftest test -
```
### Strict mode
Set `HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS_STRICT=true` to disable vals and error if any `ref+` values are detected. This is useful when you want to prevent users from using vals references:
```bash
HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS_STRICT=true helmfile sync
# Error: vals is disabled via HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS_STRICT environment variable
```
Note: If both are set, strict mode takes precedence.
### Validating ref+ expressions with conftest
You can use `HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS=true` with [conftest](https://www.conftest.dev/) to validate that all `ref+` expressions conform to your security policy before processing them.
Example rego policy (`policy/vals_refs.rego`):
```rego
package main
allowed_refs := {
"ref+tfstates3://my-terraform-state/networking/eu-west-2/vpc/vpc_id",
"ref+tfstates3://my-terraform-state/networking/eu-west-2/vpc/private_subnet_ids",
"ref+tfstates3://my-terraform-state/platform/eu-west-2/eks/cluster_endpoint",
}
deny[msg] {
value := input[_]
startswith(value, "ref+tfstates3://")
not allowed_refs[value]
msg := sprintf("ref+ expression references an unapproved tfstates3 URI: %s", [value])
}
deny[msg] {
value := input[_]
startswith(value, "ref+")
not startswith(value, "ref+tfstates3://")
msg := sprintf("only tfstates3 ref+ expressions are permitted, got: %s", [value])
}
```
Run against your rendered values:
```bash
HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS=true helmfile template | conftest test -
```

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@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package envvar
const (
DisableInsecureFeatures = "HELMFILE_DISABLE_INSECURE_FEATURES"
DisableVals = "HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS" // pass-through ref+ for external vals
DisableValsStrict = "HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS_STRICT" // error on ref+
// use helm status to check if a release exists before installing it
UseHelmStatusToCheckReleaseExistence = "HELMFILE_USE_HELM_STATUS_TO_CHECK_RELEASE_EXISTENCE"

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@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
package plugins
import (
"errors"
"io"
"os"
"strconv"
"strings"
"sync"
@ -16,12 +18,94 @@ const (
valsCacheSize = 512
)
var instance *vals.Runtime
var instance vals.Evaluator
var once sync.Once
func ValsInstance() (*vals.Runtime, error) {
var ErrValsDisabled = errors.New("vals is disabled via HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS_STRICT environment variable")
// passthroughEvaluator passes values through unchanged (for external vals)
type passthroughEvaluator struct{}
func (p *passthroughEvaluator) Eval(m map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
return normalizeMap(m), nil
}
// strictEvaluator passes through values but errors if ref+ is detected
type strictEvaluator struct{}
func (s *strictEvaluator) Eval(m map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
if containsRefPlus(m) {
return nil, ErrValsDisabled
}
return normalizeMap(m), nil
}
// normalizeMap converts []string values to []any to match vals.Eval behavior.
func normalizeMap(m map[string]any) map[string]any {
out := make(map[string]any, len(m))
for k, v := range m {
if ss, ok := v.([]string); ok {
a := make([]any, len(ss))
for i, s := range ss {
a[i] = s
}
out[k] = a
} else {
out[k] = v
}
}
return out
}
func containsRefPlus(v any) bool {
switch val := v.(type) {
case string:
return strings.Contains(val, "ref+")
case map[string]any:
for _, v := range val {
if containsRefPlus(v) {
return true
}
}
case map[any]any:
for _, v := range val {
if containsRefPlus(v) {
return true
}
}
case []any:
for _, v := range val {
if containsRefPlus(v) {
return true
}
}
case []string:
for _, s := range val {
if strings.Contains(s, "ref+") {
return true
}
}
}
return false
}
func ValsInstance() (vals.Evaluator, error) {
var err error
once.Do(func() {
// HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS_STRICT: error on ref+ usage
strict, _ := strconv.ParseBool(os.Getenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict))
if strict {
instance = &strictEvaluator{}
return
}
// HELMFILE_DISABLE_VALS: pass-through for external vals
disabled, _ := strconv.ParseBool(os.Getenv(envvar.DisableVals))
if disabled {
instance = &passthroughEvaluator{}
return
}
// Configure AWS SDK logging via HELMFILE_AWS_SDK_LOG_LEVEL environment variable
// Default: "off" to prevent sensitive information (tokens, auth headers) from being exposed
// See issue #2270 and vals PR helmfile/vals#893

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@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
"io"
"os"
"strings"
"sync"
"testing"
"github.com/helmfile/vals"
@ -11,20 +12,244 @@ import (
"github.com/helmfile/helmfile/pkg/envvar"
)
func TestValsInstance(t *testing.T) {
i, err := ValsInstance()
// resetInstance resets the singleton for testing
func resetInstance() {
instance = nil
once = sync.Once{}
}
func TestValsInstance(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
i, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
i2, _ := ValsInstance()
if i != i2 {
t.Error("Instances should be equal")
}
}
func TestDisableVals(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
os.Setenv(envvar.DisableVals, "true")
defer os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableVals)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
// Should pass through values unchanged
input := map[string]any{"key": "ref+echo://secret"}
output, err := evaluator.Eval(input)
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("passthrough should not error: %v", err)
}
if output["key"] != "ref+echo://secret" {
t.Errorf("expected ref+ to pass through unchanged, got %v", output["key"])
}
}
func TestDisableValsStrict(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
os.Setenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict, "true")
defer os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
// Should error on ref+
input := map[string]any{"key": "ref+echo://secret"}
_, err = evaluator.Eval(input)
if err == nil {
t.Fatal("strict mode should error on ref+")
}
if err != ErrValsDisabled {
t.Errorf("expected ErrValsDisabled, got %v", err)
}
}
func TestDisableValsStrictAllowsNonRef(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
os.Setenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict, "true")
defer os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
// Should pass through non-ref+ values
input := map[string]any{"key": "normal-value"}
output, err := evaluator.Eval(input)
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("strict mode should allow non-ref+ values: %v", err)
}
if output["key"] != "normal-value" {
t.Errorf("expected value to pass through, got %v", output["key"])
}
}
func TestDisableValsStrictNestedRef(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
os.Setenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict, "true")
defer os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
// Should detect nested ref+ in map[string]any
input := map[string]any{
"outer": map[string]any{
"inner": "ref+vault://secret",
},
}
_, err = evaluator.Eval(input)
if err == nil {
t.Fatal("strict mode should detect nested ref+")
}
}
func TestDisableValsStrictMapAnyAny(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
os.Setenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict, "true")
defer os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
// Should detect ref+ inside map[any]any (yaml.v2 nested maps)
input := map[string]any{
"outer": map[any]any{
"inner": "ref+vault://secret",
},
}
_, err = evaluator.Eval(input)
if err == nil {
t.Fatal("strict mode should detect ref+ in map[any]any")
}
}
func TestDisableValsStrictArrayRef(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
os.Setenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict, "true")
defer os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
// Should detect ref+ in []any arrays
input := map[string]any{
"values": []any{"normal", "ref+awssecrets://db/password"},
}
_, err = evaluator.Eval(input)
if err == nil {
t.Fatal("strict mode should detect ref+ in arrays")
}
}
func TestDisableValsStrictStringSlice(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
os.Setenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict, "true")
defer os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
// Should detect ref+ in []string arrays (matches renderValsSecrets usage)
input := map[string]any{
"values": []string{"normal", "ref+awssecrets://db/password"},
}
_, err = evaluator.Eval(input)
if err == nil {
t.Fatal("strict mode should detect ref+ in []string arrays")
}
}
func TestDisableValsPassThroughStringSlice(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
os.Setenv(envvar.DisableVals, "true")
defer os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableVals)
os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
input := map[string]any{
"values": []string{"normal", "ref+awssecrets://db/password"},
}
out, err := evaluator.Eval(input)
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("pass-through should not error: %v", err)
}
values, ok := out["values"].([]any)
if !ok {
t.Fatalf("expected out[\"values\"] to be []any, got %T", out["values"])
}
if values[0] != "normal" || values[1] != "ref+awssecrets://db/password" {
t.Errorf("unexpected values: %v", values)
}
}
func TestNormalValsProcessing(t *testing.T) {
resetInstance()
defer resetInstance()
// Ensure both are unset
os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableVals)
os.Unsetenv(envvar.DisableValsStrict)
evaluator, err := ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
}
// ref+echo should expand to the value after ://
input := map[string]any{"key": "ref+echo://myvalue"}
output, err := evaluator.Eval(input)
if err != nil {
t.Fatalf("normal vals should process ref+echo: %v", err)
}
if output["key"] != "myvalue" {
t.Errorf("expected 'myvalue', got %v", output["key"])
}
}
// TestAWSSDKLogLevelConfiguration tests the AWS SDK log level configuration logic
func TestAWSSDKLogLevelConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
tests := []struct {

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@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import (
"fmt"
"sync"
"github.com/helmfile/vals"
"github.com/helmfile/helmfile/pkg/plugins"
)
@ -42,13 +40,8 @@ func fetchSecretValues(values map[string]any) (map[string]any, error) {
var err error
// below lines are for tests
once.Do(func() {
var valRuntime *vals.Runtime
if secretsClient == nil {
valRuntime, err = plugins.ValsInstance()
if err != nil {
return
}
secretsClient = valRuntime
secretsClient, err = plugins.ValsInstance()
}
})
if secretsClient == nil {