CVE-2022-29165: Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. A critical vulnerability has been discovered in Argo CD starting with versio...

Description

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. A critical vulnerability has been discovered in Argo CD starting with version 1.4.0 and prior to versions 2.1.15, 2.2.9, and 2.3.4 which would allow unauthenticated users to impersonate as any Argo CD user or role, including the `admin` user, by sending a specifically crafted JSON Web Token (JWT) along with the request. In order for this vulnerability to be exploited, anonymous access to the Argo CD instance must have been enabled. In a default Argo CD installation, anonymous access is disabled. The vulnerability can be exploited to impersonate as any user or role, including the built-in `admin` account regardless of whether it is enabled or disabled. Also, the attacker does not need an account on the Argo CD instance in order to exploit this. If anonymous access to the instance is enabled, an attacker can escalate their privileges, effectively allowing them to gain the same privileges on the cluster as the Argo CD instance, which is cluster admin in a default installation. This will allow the attacker to create, manipulate and delete any resource on the cluster. They may also exfiltrate data by deploying malicious workloads with elevated privileges, thus bypassing any redaction of sensitive data otherwise enforced by the Argo CD API. A patch for this vulnerability has been released in Argo CD versions 2.3.4, 2.2.9, and 2.1.15. As a workaround, one may disable anonymous access, but upgrading to a patched version is preferable.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

10/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

1.86%

76.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Argoproj	Argo Cd	>= 1.4.0, < 2.1.15
Argoproj	Argo Cd	>= 2.2.0, < 2.2.9
Argoproj	Argo Cd	>= 2.3.0, < 2.3.4

References

https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/releases/tag/v2.1.15Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/releases/tag/v2.2.9Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/releases/tag/v2.3.4Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/security/advisories/GHSA-r642-gv9p-2wjjMitigation, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/releases/tag/v2.1.15Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/releases/tag/v2.2.9Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/releases/tag/v2.3.4Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/security/advisories/GHSA-r642-gv9p-2wjjMitigation, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: May 20, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-29165?

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. A critical vulnerability has been discovered in Argo CD starting with version 1.4.0 and prior to versions 2.1.15, 2.2.9, and 2.3.4 which would allow unauthenticated users to impersonate as any Argo CD user or role, including the `admin` user, by sending a specifically crafted JSON Web Token (JWT) along with the request. In order for this vulnerability to be exploited, anonymous access to the Argo CD instance must have been enabled. In a default Argo CD installation, anonymous access is disabled. The vulnerability can be exploited to impersonate as any user or role, including the built-in `admin` account regardless of whether it is enabled or disabled. Also, the attacker does not need an account on the Argo CD instance in order to exploit this. If anonymous access to the instance is enabled, an attacker can escalate their privileges, effectively allowing them to gain the same privileges on the cluster as the Argo CD instance, which is cluster admin in a default installation. This will allow the attacker to create, manipulate and delete any resource on the cluster. They may also exfiltrate data by deploying malicious workloads with elevated privileges, thus bypassing any redaction of sensitive data otherwise enforced by the Argo CD API. A patch for this vulnerability has been released in Argo CD versions 2.3.4, 2.2.9, and 2.1.15. As a workaround, one may disable anonymous access, but upgrading to a patched version is preferable.

How severe is CVE-2022-29165?

CVE-2022-29165 has a CVSS score of 10/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.86% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-29165?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.