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Argo CD's Project API Token Exposes Repository Credentials

Critical severity GitHub Reviewed Published Sep 4, 2025 in argoproj/argo-cd • Updated Sep 5, 2025

Package

gomod github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 (Go)

Affected versions

>= 2.13.0, < 2.13.9
>= 2.14.0, < 2.14.16

Patched versions

2.13.9
2.14.16
gomod github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3 (Go)
< 3.0.14
>= 3.1.0-rc1, < 3.1.2
3.0.14
3.1.2

Description

Summary

Argo CD API tokens with project-level permissions are able to retrieve sensitive repository credentials (usernames, passwords) through the project details API endpoint, even when the token only has standard application management permissions and no explicit access to secrets.

Component: Project API (/api/v1/projects/{project}/detailed)

Vulnerability Details

Expected Behavior

API tokens should require explicit permission to access sensitive credential information. Standard project permissions should not grant access to repository secrets.

Actual Behavior

API tokens with basic project permissions can retrieve all repository credentials associated with a project through the detailed project API endpoint.

Note: This vulnerability does not only affect project-level permissions. Any token with project get permissions is also vulnerable, including global permissions such as: p, role/user, projects, get, *, allow

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Create an API token with the following project-level permissions:
p, proj:myProject:project-automation-role, applications, sync, myProject/*, allow
p, proj:myProject:project-automation-role, applications, action/argoproj.io/Rollout/*, myProject/*, allow
p, proj:myProject:project-automation-role, applications, get, myProject/*, allow
  1. Call the project details API:
bashcurl -sH "Authorization: Bearer $ARGOCD_API_TOKEN" \
  "https://argocd.example.com/api/v1/projects/myProject/detailed"

  1. Observe that the response includes sensitive repository credentials:
{
  "repositories": [
    {
      "username": "<REDACTED>",
      "password": "<REDACTED>",
      "type": "helm",
      "name": "test-helm-repo",
      "project": "myProject"
    }
  ]
}

Patches

  • v3.1.2
  • v3.0.14
  • v2.14.16
  • v2.13.9

Credits to @ashishgoyal111 for helping identify this issue.

References

@crenshaw-dev crenshaw-dev published to argoproj/argo-cd Sep 4, 2025
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Sep 4, 2025
Reviewed Sep 4, 2025
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Sep 4, 2025
Last updated Sep 5, 2025

Severity

Critical

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS score

Weaknesses

Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor

The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2025-55190

GHSA ID

GHSA-786q-9hcg-v9ff

Source code

Credits

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