# CVE-2026-40886: Argo Workflows: Unchecked annotation parsing in pod informer crashes Argo Workflows controller > Attackers can crash the Argo Workflows controller by submitting pods with malformed annotations, causing a persistent crash loop that halts all workflow processing. - **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Any signed-in user - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 23 Apr 2026 - **Updated:** 15 Jul 2026 - **Also known as:** BIT-argo-workflows-2026-40886, ECHO-4230-0b6b-1c14, GHSA-5jv8-h7qh-rf5p, GO-2026-5148, MINI-4756-cp55-mj5m, MINI-4p7p-95jq-xm6c, MINI-7f6q-7528-w8q5, MINI-cmpq-w4pf-26pc, MINI-fpxg-3j83-9h4f, MINI-g25v-q3g6-6m7r, MINI-gphq-6wx9-r99m, MINI-q4pf-xf3r-292w ## What is CVE-2026-40886? CVE-2026-40886 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in argoproj argo-workflows, published on 23 Apr 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. ### Official description Argo Workflows is an open source container-native workflow engine for orchestrating parallel jobs on Kubernetes. From 3.6.5 to 4.0.4, an unchecked array index in the pod informer's podGCFromPod() function causes a controller-wide panic when a workflow pod carries a malformed workflows.argoproj.io/pod-gc-strategy annotation. Because the panic occurs inside an informer goroutine (outside the controller's recover() scope), it crashes the entire controller process. The poisoned pod persists across restarts, causing a crash loop that halts all workflow processing until the pod is manually deleted. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.0.5 and 3.7.14. Weakness: CWE-1285 (Improper Validation of Specified Index, Position, or Offset in Input), CWE-129 (Improper Validation of Array Index) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-40886? 12 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3, argo-workflows and github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3` | Go | From 3.6.5 | None | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3` | Go | From 3.6.5 to 3.6.19 | None | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3` | Go | From 3.6.5 to 3.6.19 | None | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3` | Go | From 3.7.0 | 3.7.14 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3` | Go | From 3.7.0 | 3.7.14 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3` | Go | From 3.7.0 | 3.7.14 | | `argo-workflows` | Bitnami | From 3.6.5 | 3.7.14, 4.0.5 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows` | Go | All versions | None | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v2` | Go | All versions | None | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4` | Go | From 4.0.0 | 4.0.5 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4` | Go | From 4.0.0 | 4.0.5 | | `github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4` | Go | From 4.0.0 | 4.0.5 | Products: Argoproj Argo Workflows. ## How do I fix CVE-2026-40886? Upgrade github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 to 3.7.14 or later. ## Is CVE-2026-40886 being exploited? It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-40886 exists. ## Other vulnerabilities in argoproj argo-workflows - [CVE-2026-28229](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28229/): Argo Workflows has unauthorized access to Argo Workflows Template (critical 9.8) - [CVE-2026-54526](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54526/): Argo Workflows: Incomplete fix for CVE-2026-31892: ArtifactGC.PodSpecPatch bypass of Strict/Secure templateReferencing (high 8.9) - [CVE-2026-31892](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31892/): WorkflowTemplate Security Bypass via podSpecPatch in Strict/Secure Reference Mode (high 8.9) - [CVE-2026-42295](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42295/): Argo Workflows: Exposure of artifact repository credentials (high 8.5) - [CVE-2026-42297](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42297/): Argo Workflows Is Missing Authorization in Sync ConfigMap Provider (high 8.5) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2026-40886 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2026-40886 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in argoproj argo-workflows, published on 23 Apr 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-40886 exists. Affected packages and fixed versions: - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 (Go): affected from 3.6.5; no fix listed - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 (Go): affected from 3.6.5 up to 3.6.19; no fix listed - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 (Go): affected from 3.6.5 up to 3.6.19; no fix listed - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 (Go): affected from 3.7.0; fixed in 3.7.14 - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 (Go): affected from 3.7.0; fixed in 3.7.14 - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 (Go): affected from 3.7.0; fixed in 3.7.14 - argo-workflows (Bitnami): affected from 3.6.5; fixed in 3.7.14, 4.0.5 - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v2 (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4 (Go): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.0.5 - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4 (Go): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.0.5 - github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4 (Go): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.0.5 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-2026-40886/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40886/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-40886 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40886 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-40886 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40886/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.