CVE-2026-54526 Argo Workflows: Incomplete fix for CVE-2026-31892: ArtifactGC.PodSpecPatch bypass of Strict/Secure templateReferencing
Attackers can bypass Strict/Secure template referencing to inject privileged pod specs in Argo Workflows, enabling container escape and privilege escalation.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-54526?
CVE-2026-54526 is a high-severity vulnerability in argoproj argo-workflows, published on 16 Jul 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. Prior to 3.7.15 and 4.0.6, the allow-list fix for CVE-2026-31892 is incomplete because workflow/util/merge.go ValidateUserOverrides and SanitizeUserWorkflowSpec walk only the top-level fields of WorkflowSpec via reflection, and WorkflowSpec.ArtifactGC is allow-listed wholesale; the struct behind that field, WorkflowLevelArtifactGC, has a PodSpecPatch sub-field whose contents flow unmodified into util.ApplyPodSpecPatch on the artifact-GC pod, the same sink the original fix closed for WorkflowSpec.PodSpecPatch, so a user submitting a Workflow under templateReferencing: Strict or Secure (against a referenced WorkflowTemplate that declares an output artifact and setting spec.artifactGC.strategy: OnWorkflowCompletion) can still inject an arbitrary strategic merge patch into the artifact-GC pod, including hostPath volumes, privileged: true, arbitrary image and command, and hostNetwork: true, defeating the stated purpose of Strict/Secure reference mode. This issue is fixed in versions 3.7.15 and 4.0.6.
Weakness: CWE-284
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-54526?
11 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows, argo-workflows and github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v2. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows Go | All versions | None |
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows Go | All versions to 2.5.3-rc4 | None |
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows Go | All versions to 2.5.3-rc4 | None |
argo-workflows Bitnami | All versions | 3.7.15, 4.0.6 |
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v2 Go | All versions | None |
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 Go | All versions | 3.7.15 |
5 more packages
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 Go | All versions | 3.7.15 |
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v3 Go | All versions | 3.7.15 |
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4 Go | From 4.0.0 | 4.0.6 |
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4 Go | From 4.0.0 | 4.0.6 |
github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/v4 Go | From 4.0.0 | 4.0.6 |
Products include Argoproj Argo Workflows.
How do I fix CVE-2026-54526?
Upgrade to a fixed version.
Is CVE-2026-54526 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-54526 exists.
Other vulnerabilities in argoproj argo-workflows
- CVE-2026-28229 Argo Workflows has unauthorized access to Argo Workflows Template
- CVE-2026-31892 WorkflowTemplate Security Bypass via podSpecPatch in Strict/Secure Reference Mode
- CVE-2026-42295 Argo Workflows: Exposure of artifact repository credentials
- CVE-2026-42297 Argo Workflows Is Missing Authorization in Sync ConfigMap Provider
- CVE-2025-62157 Argo Workflows exposes artifact repository credentials in workflow-controller logs
Sources
Also known as BIT-argo-workflows-2026-54526, ECHO-09ab-52a5-d9b1, GHSA-48p8-g2fx-3wwm, GO-2026-6223, MINI-32gv-m334-9wfw, MINI-42g5-cw32-r4c6 and 12 more.