CVE-2026-113708: Argo CD: A Kustomize remote ref can run commands in the repo-server

Should you act?

Critical, preconditions apply

Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
• EPSS 0.7%, percentile 51: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.7% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 51% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Needs an account (low (any account)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
• Editorial verdict: Patch this week. Argo CD: Repo-Server RCE and AppProject Bypass (Oct 2026) — Upgrade Argo CD to a patched 3.3, 3.4 or 3.5 release this week, and today on shared instances where people you do not fully trust can push to tracked repos or merely view an Application.

What it is

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. From 2.7.0 until 3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, and 3.6.0-rc2, Kustomize passes ref or version query values from remote resource, base, or component URLs to git fetch without an end-of-options separator. A leading-hyphen value can be parsed as --upload-pack and execute a command inside argocd-repo-server when the remote uses a local transport such as file://. Git does not run the supplied command for an https:// remote. The local transport does not leave the pod, so blocking repo-server egress does not prevent the execution. The command runs as the repo-server user, can read repository credentials and other process-accessible data, and can return output through manifest-generation errors. An attacker can commit a Kustomization to a Git repository that an Application builds or upload files through POST /api/v1/applications/manifestsWithFiles, also exposed by argocd app diff --local --server-side-generate. The upload path requires only Application get permission on an existing Application, without Application update or sync permission or repository write access. Kustomize 5.0.0 introduced acceptance of file://, whereas 4.5.7 rejects that transport; replacing the affected Kustomize with a newer version alone does not correct the missing option separator. This issue is fixed in versions 3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, and 3.6.0-rc2.

Weakness type: CWE-88.

Product: argoproj argo-cd · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-10-20

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: none
• Scope: changed (can affect other components)

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.67% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 51.

Timeline

• 2026-10-07 — erroneo.us brief: Argo CD: Repo-Server RCE and AppProject Bypass (Oct 2026)
• 2026-10-20 — CVE record last updated
• 2026-10-20 — CVE record published by GitHub_M

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. CVE.org record CVE-2026-113708 cve.org
2. NVD entry CVE-2026-113708 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. github.com github.com
4. github.com github.com
5. argo-cd.readthedocs.io argo-cd.readthedocs.io
6. github.com github.com
7. github.com github.com
8. github.com github.com
9. github.com github.com

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