CVE-2020-8828
Argo CD Insecure default administrative password
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
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 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 6.5 Medium
AV: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 High
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
github.com/argoproj/argo-cdGo |
through 1.8.0 | None known |
argo-cdBitnami |
before 1.5.0 | 1.5.0 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE 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
github.com/argoproj/argo/releases
soluble.ai/blog/argo-cves-2020
argoproj.github.io/argo-cd/security_considerations
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8828
argo-cd.readthedocs.io/en/stable/security_considerations
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/blob/129cf5370f9e2c6f99c9a5515099250a7ba42099/docs/security_considerations.md
github.com/advisories/GHSA-h8jc-jmrf-9h8f
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd