GHSA-g623-jcgg-mhmm BIT-argo-cd-2023-50726 CVE-2023-50726 GO-2024-2643
Users with `create` but not `override` privileges can perform local sync
- Severity
- 6.4 / 10
- Medium · CVSS 3.1
- Exploit chance (EPSS)
- 0.53%
- Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Higher than 45.00% of scored vulnerabilities.
- Known exploited
- No
- Not in CISA's catalog
- Fix
2.9.8- Upgrade github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 to this version or later
Description
Impact
"Local sync" is an Argo CD feature that allows developers to temporarily override an Application's manifests with locally-defined manifests. Use of the feature should generally be limited to highly-trusted users, since it allows the user to bypass any merge protections in git.
An improper validation bug allows users who have create privileges but not override privileges to sync local manifests on app creation. All other restrictions, including AppProject restrictions are still enforced. The only restriction which is not enforced is that the manifests come from some approved git/Helm/OCI source.
The bug was introduced in 1.2.0-rc1 when the local manifest sync feature was added.
Patches
The bug has been patched in the following versions:
- 2.10.3
- 2.9.8
- 2.8.12
Workarounds
To immediately mitigate the risk of branch protection bypass, remove applications, create RBAC access. The only way to eliminate the issue without removing RBAC access is to upgrade to a patched version.
Branch protection rules and review requirements are a great way to enforce security constraints in a GitOps environment, but they should be just one layer in a multi-layered approach. Make sure your AppProject and RBAC restrictions are as thorough as possible to prevent a review bypass vulnerability from permitting excessive damage.
References
For more information
- Open an issue in the Argo CD issue tracker or discussions
- Join us on Slack in channel #argo-cd
Affected versions
Go
| Package | Vulnerable | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| github.com/argoproj/argo-cd | >= 1.2.0-rc1, <= 1.8.7 |
No fix yet |
| github.com/argoproj/argo-cd | >= 1.2.0-rc1 |
No fix yet |
| github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 | >= 2.9.0, < 2.9.8 |
2.9.8 |
| github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 | >= 2.10.0, < 2.10.3 |
2.10.3 |
| github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 | >= 2.0.0-rc3, < 2.8.12 |
2.8.12 |
| github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 | >= 2.0.0, < 2.8.12>= 2.9.0, < 2.9.8>= 2.10.0, < 2.10.3 |
2.8.122.9.82.10.3 |
How to fix
Move to the fixed version or later with your package manager, update the lockfile, and run your tests. If the package only arrives through another dependency, upgrade that dependency first. If none of its releases pulls a fixed version yet, force the version with your package manager's override.
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 Go → 2.9.8
- go
go get github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2@v2.9.8 && go mod tidy
Severity breakdown
CVSS 3.1 6.4
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:L
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
Weakness
CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management
The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
How to prevent it
- Architecture and Design, Operation: Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
- Architecture and Design: Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
- Architecture and Design: Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.
CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization
The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.
How to prevent it
- Architecture and Design: Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) [REF-229] to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries. Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
- Architecture and Design: Ensure that access control checks are performed related to the business logic. These checks may be different than the access control checks that are applied to more generic resources such as files, connections, processes, memory, and database records. For example, a database may restrict access for medical records to a specific database user, but each record might only be intended to be accessible to the patient and the patient's doctor [REF-7].
- Architecture and Design: Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using authorization frameworks such as the JAAS Authorization Framework [REF-233] and the OWASP ESAPI Access Control feature [REF-45].
- Architecture and Design: For web applications, make sure that the access control mechanism is enforced correctly at the server side on every page. Users should not be able to access any unauthorized functionality or information by simply requesting direct access to that page. One way to do this is to ensure that all pages containing sensitive information are not cached, and that all such pages restrict access to requests that are accompanied by an active and authenticated session token associated with a user who has the required permissions to access that page.
- System Configuration, Installation: Use the access control capabilities of your operating system and server environment and define your access control lists accordingly. Use a "default deny" policy when defining these ACLs.
References
Advisories
Packages
Other links
Timeline
- Published
- Last updated by the source
- Latest EPSS score
Related advisories
| Advisory | Severity | Why it's related |
|---|---|---|
| GHSA-fmxq-cgp8-87wp Argo CD: AppProject destination-namespace and resource restrictions bypassed by PreDelete/PostDelete resource hooks | Critical | Also affects github.com/argoproj/argo-cd |
| GHSA-j6cw-g6p4-7hch Argo CD repo-server command injection via crafted SSH repository SOCKS5 proxy URL | High | Also affects github.com/argoproj/argo-cd |
| GHSA-h98r-wv3h-fr38 Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation | High | Also affects github.com/argoproj/argo-cd |
| GO-2026-5618 Argo CD: Kubernetes Secret Extraction via ArgoCD ServerSideDiff via sensitive annotations | Medium | Also affects github.com/argoproj/argo-cd |
| GO-2026-5099 ArgoCD ServerSideDiff is vulnerable to Kubernetes Secret Extraction | Critical | Also affects github.com/argoproj/argo-cd |
| GHSA-gpx4-37g2-c8pv Argo CD Unauthenticated Remote DoS via malformed Azure DevOps git.push webhook | High | Also affects github.com/argoproj/argo-cd |
| GHSA-wp4p-9pxh-cgx2 argo-cd vulnerable unauthenticated DoS via malformed Gogs webhook payload | High | Also affects github.com/argoproj/argo-cd |
| GHSA-f9gq-prrc-hrhc Unauthenticated argocd-server panic via a malicious Bitbucket-Server webhook payload | High | Also affects github.com/argoproj/argo-cd |
Credits: @crenshaw-dev
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