CVE-2026-42880: ArgoCD ServerSideDiff is vulnerable to Kubernetes Secret Extraction
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 38/100)
- Public proof-of-concept code exists (GitHub); there is no record of exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.64% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 50.6% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 (Go) 3.2.11, 3.3.9.
- Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).
Low priority for now. Upgrade to github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 (Go) 3.2.11, 3.3.9 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. From versions 3.2.0 to before 3.2.11 and 3.3.0 to before 3.3.9, there is a missing authorization and data-masking gap in Argo CD's ServerSideDiff endpoint that allows an attacker with read-only access to extract plaintext Kubernetes Secret data from etcd via the Kubernetes API server's Server-Side Apply dry-run mechanism. This issue has been patched in versions 3.2.11 and 3.3.9.
- Published
- May 7, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 26, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.6% · 50th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-200
Report tools
Action score
38
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 38 / 40 · 9.6 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.6%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- proof of concept
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 9.6
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- Proof of concept exists, no weaponized module
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| argoproj | argo cd | cpe:2.3:a:argoproj:argo_cd |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- argoproj argo cd3.2.0 and later · before 3.2.11
- argoproj argo cd3.3.0 and later · before 3.3.9
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
argoproj argo-cd
- >= 3.2.0, < 3.2.11, >= 3.3.0, < 3.3.9affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | github.com/argoproj/argo-cd | from 0 | — |
| Go | github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 | from 0 | — |
| Go | github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 | from 3.2.0 · before 3.2.11 | 3.2.11 |
| Go | github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 | from 3.3.0 · before 3.3.9 | 3.3.9 |
Same product
argoproj: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2025-55190Argo CD: Project API Token Exposes Repository Credentials41Plan
- CVE-2022-29165Argo CD will blindly trust JWT claims if anonymous access is enabled41Plan
- CVE-2024-21652Argo CD vulnerable to Bypassing of Brute Force Protection via Application Crash and In-Memory Data Loss39Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2025-59538Oct 1, 2025 · Argo CD is Vulnerable to Unauthenticated Remote DoS via malformed Azure DevOps git.push webhook33Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-43824May 2, 2026 · In Argo CD 3.2.0 before 3.2.11 and 3.3.0 before 3.3.9, ServerSideDiff allows reading cleartext Kubernetes Secret data.30Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-45737Jul 15, 2026 · Argo CD: Kubernetes Secret Extraction via ArgoCD ServerSideDiff via sensitive annotations26Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Go:github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 | 3.2.11 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 | 3.3.9 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Proof of concept available
A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.
Evidence
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:0 | 2026-05-25 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Published
- First PoC+17 d
- TodayOct 27, 2026+172 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
- CVE-2025-55190245 days apartArgo CD: Project API Token Exposes Repository Credentials41Plan
- CVE-2025-23216462 days apartArgo CD does not scrub secret values from patch errors27Monitor
- CVE-2026-4573769 days apartArgo CD: Kubernetes Secret Extraction via ArgoCD ServerSideDiff via sensitive annotations26Monitor
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)
Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.
- TR-26-0201 · May 8, 2026(Argo CD Güvenlik Bildirimi)
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- none
Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-200 · Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized ActorCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
nvd-secondary
Root cause
The extension requests broader permissions than its function needs and sends the data it collects out for purposes beyond its stated function.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-200 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
{
"permissions": ["tabs", "<all_urls>"],
"background": { "service_worker": "analytics.js" }
}Fixed
{
"permissions": ["activeTab"],
"host_permissions": ["https://yildiz.example/*"]
}Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- ExcavationCAPEC-116likelihood: High · Medium
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
- FootprintingCAPEC-169likelihood: High · Very Low
- Exploiting Trust in ClientCAPEC-22likelihood: High · High
- FingerprintingCAPEC-224likelihood: High · Very Low
- ICMP Echo Request PingCAPEC-285likelihood: Medium · Low
- TCP SYN ScanCAPEC-287Low
- Enumerate Mail Exchange (MX) RecordsCAPEC-290Low
ATT&CK techniques
- System Service DiscoveryT1007
- System Network Configuration DiscoveryT1016
- Remote System DiscoveryT1018
- System Owner/User DiscoveryT1033
- Masquerading: Match Legitimate Name or LocationT1036.005
- Network Service ScanningT1046
- System Network Connections DiscoveryT1049
- Process DiscoveryT1057
- Permission Groups DiscoveryT1069
- System Information DiscoveryT1082
- File and Directory DiscoveryT1083
- Account DiscoveryT1087
- Multi-Factor Authentication InterceptionT1111
- Peripheral Device DiscoveryT1120
- System Time DiscoveryT1124
- Access Token Manipulation:Token Impersonation/TheftT1134.001
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Show all references (5 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.