Branch protection bypass via unchecked creation operation
Published Mar 13, 2024 · Updated Apr 15, 2025
Improper authorization in Argo CD allows remote authenticated users with application-create rights to bypass Git branch protections. Server.Create accepted a caller-supplied Application.Operation containing local sync manifests and persisted the application without clearing that operation. Exploitation requires create permission but not override permission; AppProject controls remain enforced, while the manifest source need not be approved Git, Helm, or OCI.
Summary
What happened
Improper authorization in Argo CD allows remote authenticated users with application-create rights to bypass Git branch protections. Server.Create accepted a caller-supplied Application.Operation containing local sync manifests and persisted the application without clearing that operation. Exploitation requires create permission but not override permission; AppProject controls remain enforced, while the manifest source need not be approved Git, Helm, or OCI.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-50726
- Published
- Mar 13, 2024
- Updated
- Apr 15, 2025
- Vendor
- Argo Project
- Product
- Argo CD
- Classifications
- CWE-863, CWE-269
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 13, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=>= 1.2.0-rc1, < 2.8.12
- Affected versionversion=>= 2.10.0, < 2.10.3
- Affected versionversion=>= 2.9.0, < 2.9.8
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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