# CVE-2023-23947: Argo CD users with any cluster secret update access may update out-of-bounds cluster secrets > Users with limited cluster secret update access can modify any cluster secret, enabling privilege escalation or denial of service in Argo CD. - **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** An administrator - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 16 Feb 2023 - **Updated:** 10 Mar 2025 - **Also known as:** GHSA-3jfq-742w-xg8j, GO-2023-1577 ## What is CVE-2023-23947? CVE-2023-23947 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Argoproj Argo Cd, published on 16 Feb 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim. ### Official description Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. All Argo CD versions starting with 2.3.0-rc1 and prior to 2.3.17, 2.4.23 2.5.11, and 2.6.2 are vulnerable to an improper authorization bug which allows users who have the ability to update at least one cluster secret to update any cluster secret. The attacker could use this access to escalate privileges (potentially controlling Kubernetes resources) or to break Argo CD functionality (by preventing connections to external clusters). A patch for this vulnerability has been released in Argo CD versions 2.6.2, 2.5.11, 2.4.23, and 2.3.17. Two workarounds are available. Either modify the RBAC configuration to completely revoke all `clusters, update` access, or use the `destinations` and `clusterResourceWhitelist` fields to apply similar restrictions as the `namespaces` and `clusterResources` fields. Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-23947? 10 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/argoproj/argo-cd and github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | All versions | None | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.17 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.17 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | From 2.4.0 | 2.4.23 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | From 2.4.0 | 2.4.23 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | From 2.5.0 | 2.5.11 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | From 2.5.0 | 2.5.11 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | From 2.6.0 | 2.6.2 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd` | Go | From 2.6.0 | 2.6.2 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2` | Go | From 2.3.0 | 2.3.17, 2.4.23, 2.5.11, 2.6.2 | Products: Argoproj Argo Cd. ## How do I fix CVE-2023-23947? Upgrade github.com/argoproj/argo-cd to a fixed version for your release line: 2.3.17, 2.4.23, 2.5.11 or 2.6.2. ## Is CVE-2023-23947 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-23947 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Argoproj Argo Cd - [CVE-2025-55190](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-55190/): Argo CD: Project API Token Exposes Repository Credentials (critical 10.0) - [CVE-2022-29165](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-29165/): Argo CD will blindly trust JWT claims if anonymous access is enabled (critical 10.0) - [CVE-2023-40029](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40029/): Cluster secret might leak in cluster details page in Argo CD (critical 9.9) - [CVE-2022-24768](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24768/): Improper access control allows admin privilege escalation in Argo CD (critical 9.9) - [CVE-2024-21652](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21652/): Argo CD vulnerable to Bypassing of Brute Force Protection via Application Crash and In-Memory Data Loss (critical 9.8) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2023-23947 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2023-23947 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Argoproj Argo Cd, published on 16 Feb 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-23947 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.17 - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.17 - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected from 2.4.0; fixed in 2.4.23 - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected from 2.4.0; fixed in 2.4.23 - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected from 2.5.0; fixed in 2.5.11 - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected from 2.5.0; fixed in 2.5.11 - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected from 2.6.0; fixed in 2.6.2 - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd (Go): affected from 2.6.0; fixed in 2.6.2 - github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 (Go): affected from 2.3.0; fixed in 2.3.17, 2.4.23, 2.5.11, 2.6.2 Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23947/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23947/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-23947 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-23947 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-23947 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23947/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.