CVE-2023-40029 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.9) Information Exposure vulnerability in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Cluster secret might leak in cluster details page in Argo CD
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-40029.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2023-40029 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,333 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2🐹github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2🐹github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
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.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 | ≥ 2.2.0&&< 2.6.15 | 2.6.15go get github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2@v2.6.15 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 | ≥ 2.7.0&&< 2.7.14 | 2.7.14go get github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2@v2.7.14 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 | ≥ 2.8.0&&< 2.8.3 | 2.8.3go get github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2@v2.8.3 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 to 2.6.15 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-40029 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2023-40029 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2023-40029. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat OpenShift GitOps 1.8 | openshift-gitops-1/argocd-rhel8:v1.8.5-1 | RHSA-2023:5030 |
| Red Hat OpenShift GitOps 1.9 | openshift-gitops-1/argocd-rhel8:v1.9.2-2 | RHSA-2023:5029 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-40029 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2023-40029 across Go dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.