CVE-2023-40029
Cluster secret might leak in cluster details page in Argo CD
Argo CD is a declarative continuous deployment for Kubernetes. Argo CD Cluster secrets might be managed declaratively using Argo CD / kubectl apply. As a result, the full secret body is stored inkubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. pull request #7139 introduced the ability to manage cluster labels and annotations. Since clusters are stored as secrets it also exposes the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation which includes full secret body. In order to view the cluster annotations via the Argo CD API, the user must have clusters, get RBAC access. Note: In many cases, cluster secrets do not contain any actually-secret information. But sometimes, as in bearer-token auth, the contents might be very sensitive. The bug has been patched in versions 2.8.3, 2.7.14, and 2.6.15. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should update/deploy cluster secret with server-side-apply flag which does not use or rely on kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. Note: annotation for existing secrets will require manual removal.
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
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Cluster secret might leak in cluster details page in Argo CD
Argo CD is a declarative continuous deployment for Kubernetes. Argo CD Cluster secrets might be managed declaratively using Argo CD / kubectl apply. As a result, the full secret body is stored inkubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. pull request #7139 introduced the ability to manage cluster labels and annotations. Since clusters are stored as secrets it also exposes the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation which includes full secret body. In order to view the cluster annotations via the Argo CD API, the user must have clusters, get RBAC access. Note: In many cases, cluster secrets do not contain any actually-secret information. But sometimes, as in bearer-token auth, the contents might be very sensitive. The bug has been patched in versions 2.8.3, 2.7.14, and 2.6.15. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should update/deploy cluster secret with server-side-apply flag which does not use or rely on kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. Note: annotation for existing secrets will require manual removal.
- Record
CVE-2023-40029- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-2497
Argo CD is a declarative continuous deployment for Kubernetes. Argo CD Cluster secrets might be managed declaratively using Argo CD / kubectl apply. As a result, the full secret body is stored inkubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. pull request #7139 introduced the ability to manage cluster labels and annotations. Since clusters are stored as secrets it also exposes the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation which includes full secret body. In order to view the cluster annotations via the Argo CD API, the user must have clusters, get RBAC access. Note: In many cases, cluster secrets do not contain any actually-secret information. But sometimes, as in bearer-token auth, the contents might be very sensitive. The bug has been patched in versions 2.8.3, 2.7.14, and 2.6.15. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should update/deploy cluster secret with server-side-apply flag which does not use or rely on kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. Note: annotation for existing secrets will require manual removal.
- Record
EUVD-2023-2497- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-fwr2-64vr-xv9m
Argo CD cluster secret might leak in cluster details page
Impact
Argo CD Cluster secrets might be managed declaratively using Argo CD / kubectl apply. As a result, the full secret body is stored inkubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation.
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/pull/7139 introduced the ability to manage cluster labels and annotations. Since clusters are stored as secrets it also exposes the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation which includes full secret body. In order to view the cluster annotations via the Argo CD API, the user must have clusters, get RBAC access.
Note: In many cases, cluster secrets do not contain any actually-secret information. But sometimes, as in bearer-token auth, the contents might be very sensitive.
Patches
The bug has been patched in the following versions:
- 2.8.3
- 2.7.14
- 2.6.15
Workarounds
Update/Deploy cluster secret with server-side-apply flag which does not use or rely on kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. Note: annotation for existing secrets will require manual removal.
For more information
- Open an issue in the Argo CD issue tracker or discussions
- Join us on Slack in channel #argo-cd
- Record
GHSA-fwr2-64vr-xv9m- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-200, CWE-532
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Argo CD is a declarative continuous deployment for Kubernetes. Argo CD Cluster secrets might be managed declaratively using Argo CD / kubectl apply. As a result, the full secret body is stored inkubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. pull request #7139 introduced the ability to manage cluster labels and annotations. Since clusters are stored as secrets it also exposes the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation which includes full secret body. In order to view the cluster annotations via the Argo CD API, the user must have clusters, get RBAC access. Note: In many cases, cluster secrets do not contain any actually-secret information. But sometimes, as in bearer-token auth, the contents might be very sensitive. The bug has been patched in versions 2.8.3, 2.7.14, and 2.6.15. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should update/deploy cluster secret with server-side-apply flag which does not use or rely on kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. Note: annotation for existing secrets will require manual removal.
- Record
CVE-2023-40029- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 9.6 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200, CWE-532
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Cluster secret might leak in cluster details page in Argo CD
Argo CD is a declarative continuous deployment for Kubernetes. Argo CD Cluster secrets might be managed declaratively using Argo CD / kubectl apply. As a result, the full secret body is stored inkubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. pull request #7139 introduced the ability to manage cluster labels and annotations. Since clusters are stored as secrets it also exposes the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation which includes full secret body. In order to view the cluster annotations via the Argo CD API, the user must have clusters, get RBAC access. Note: In many cases, cluster secrets do not contain any actually-secret information. But sometimes, as in bearer-token auth, the contents might be very sensitive. The bug has been patched in versions 2.8.3, 2.7.14, and 2.6.15. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should update/deploy cluster secret with server-side-apply flag which does not use or rely on kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. Note: annotation for existing secrets will require manual removal.
- Record
CVE-2023-40029- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-fwr2-64vr-xv9m
Argo CD cluster secret might leak in cluster details page
Impact
Argo CD Cluster secrets might be managed declaratively using Argo CD / kubectl apply. As a result, the full secret body is stored inkubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation.
https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/pull/7139 introduced the ability to manage cluster labels and annotations. Since clusters are stored as secrets it also exposes the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation which includes full secret body. In order to view the cluster annotations via the Argo CD API, the user must have clusters, get RBAC access.
Note: In many cases, cluster secrets do not contain any actually-secret information. But sometimes, as in bearer-token auth, the contents might be very sensitive.
Patches
The bug has been patched in the following versions:
- 2.8.3
- 2.7.14
- 2.6.15
Workarounds
Update/Deploy cluster secret with server-side-apply flag which does not use or rely on kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. Note: annotation for existing secrets will require manual removal.
For more information
- Open an issue in the Argo CD issue tracker or discussions
- Join us on Slack in channel #argo-cd
- Record
GHSA-fwr2-64vr-xv9m- CVSS 3.1
- 9.9 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-200, CWE-532
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBIT-argo-cd-2023-40029 No score
Argo CD is a declarative continuous deployment for Kubernetes. Argo CD Cluster secrets might be managed declaratively using Argo CD / kubectl apply. As a result, the full secret body is stored inkubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. pull request #7139 introduced the ability to manage cluster labels and annotations. Since clusters are stored as secrets it also exposes the kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation which includes full secret body. In order to view the cluster annotations via the Argo CD API, the user must have clusters, get RBAC access. Note: In many cases, cluster secrets do not contain any actually-secret information. But sometimes, as in bearer-token auth, the contents might be very sensitive. The bug has been patched in versions 2.8.3, 2.7.14, and 2.6.15. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should update/deploy cluster secret with server-side-apply flag which does not use or rely on kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration annotation. Note: annotation for existing secrets will require manual removal.
- Record
BIT-argo-cd-2023-40029- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGO-2023-2049 No score
Argo CD cluster secret might leak in cluster details page in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd
Argo CD cluster secret might leak in cluster details page in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd
- Record
GO-2023-2049- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2Go |
2.2.0 up to 2.6.15 | 2.6.15 |
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2Go |
2.7.0 up to 2.7.14 | 2.7.14 |
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2Go |
2.8.0 up to 2.8.3 | 2.8.3 |
argo-cdBitnami |
2.2.0 up to 2.6.15, 2.7.0 up to 2.7.14, 2.8.0 up to 2.8.3 | 2.6.152.7.142.8.3 |
github.com/argoproj/argo-cdGo |
All versions | None known |
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2Go |
2.2.0 up to 2.6.15, 2.7.0 up to 2.7.14, 2.8.0 up to 2.8.3 | 2.6.152.7.142.8.3 |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | guobei233/CVE-2023-40029 | 2025-01-25 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-40029 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.9) in Argoproj Argo Cd, published September 7, 2023. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.20%, the 68th percentile. Fixed in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 2.6.15.
References
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/security/advisories/GHSA-fwr2-64vr-xv9m
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40029