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CVE-2020-8828

Argo CD Insecure default administrative password

8.8 HighFix available

As of v1.5.0, the default admin password is set to the argocd-server pod name. For insiders with access to the cluster or logs, this issue could be abused for privilege escalation, as Argo has privileged roles. A malicious insider is the most realistic threat, but pod names are not meant to be kept secret and could wind up just about anywhere.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

1.80%Up 1.0 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 8.8

As of v1.5.0, the default admin password is set to the argocd-server pod name. For insiders with access to the cluster or logs, this issue could be abused for privilege escalation, as Argo has privileged roles. A malicious insider is the most realistic threat, but pod names are not meant to be kept secret and could wind up just about anywhere.

Record
CVE-2020-8828
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.5 MediumAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness
CWE-287, CWE-1188
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

As of v1.5.0, the default admin password is set to the argocd-server pod name. For insiders with access to the cluster or logs, this issue could be abused for privilege escalation, as Argo has privileged roles. A malicious insider is the most realistic threat, but pod names are not meant to be kept secret and could wind up just about anywhere.

Record
CVE-2020-8828
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-1474 No score

As of v1.5.0, the default admin password is set to the argocd-server pod name. For insiders with access to the cluster or logs, this issue could be abused for privilege escalation, as Argo has privileged roles. A malicious insider is the most realistic threat, but pod names are not meant to be kept secret and could wind up just about anywhere.

Record
EUVD-2021-1474
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-h8jc-jmrf-9h8f 8.8

Argo CD Insecure default administrative password

In Argo CD versions 1.8.0 and prior, the default admin password is set to the argocd-server pod name. For insiders with access to the cluster or logs, this issue could be abused for privilege escalation, as Argo has privileged roles. A malicious insider is the most realistic threat, but pod names are not meant to be kept secret and could wind up just about anywhere.

Workaround:

The recommended mitigation as described in the user documentation is to use SSO integration. The default admin password should only be used for initial configuration and then disabled or at least changed to a more secure password.

Record
GHSA-h8jc-jmrf-9h8f
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-287, CWE-1188
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 8.8

As of v1.5.0, the default admin password is set to the argocd-server pod name. For insiders with access to the cluster or logs, this issue could be abused for privilege escalation, as Argo has privileged roles. A malicious insider is the most realistic threat, but pod names are not meant to be kept secret and could wind up just about anywhere.

Record
CVE-2020-8828
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-h8jc-jmrf-9h8f 8.8

Argo CD Insecure default administrative password

In Argo CD versions 1.8.0 and prior, the default admin password is set to the argocd-server pod name. For insiders with access to the cluster or logs, this issue could be abused for privilege escalation, as Argo has privileged roles. A malicious insider is the most realistic threat, but pod names are not meant to be kept secret and could wind up just about anywhere.

Workaround:

The recommended mitigation as described in the user documentation is to use SSO integration. The default admin password should only be used for initial configuration and then disabled or at least changed to a more secure password.

Record
GHSA-h8jc-jmrf-9h8f
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-1188, CWE-287
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-argo-cd-2020-8828 No score

As of v1.5.0, the default admin password is set to the argocd-server pod name. For insiders with access to the cluster or logs, this issue could be abused for privilege escalation, as Argo has privileged roles. A malicious insider is the most realistic threat, but pod names are not meant to be kept secret and could wind up just about anywhere.

Record
BIT-argo-cd-2020-8828
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd
Go
through 1.8.0 None known
argo-cd
Bitnami
before 1.5.0
1.5.0

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-8828 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Argoproj Argo Cd, published April 8, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.80%, the 78th percentile. Fixed in argo-cd 1.5.0.

References

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