{"uuid": "1b70529a-62ec-4bc2-bdf2-115eaf7c7ee0", "vulnerability_lookup_origin": "1a89b78e-f703-45f3-bb86-59eb712668bd", "author": "9f56dd64-161d-43a6-b9c3-555944290a09", "vulnerability": "CVE-2026-54526", "type": "seen", "source": "https://gist.github.com/alon710/ee760ed8dd4e3944f68b62f514473cdc", "content": "# CVE-2026-54526: CVE-2026-54526: Strict Template Referencing Bypass and Privilege Escalation in Argo Workflows\n\n> **CVSS Score:** 9.9\n> **Published:** 2026-08-13\n> **Full Report:** https://cvereports.com/reports/CVE-2026-54526\n\n## Summary\nA critical security bypass vulnerability in Argo Workflows allows authenticated attackers with workflow submission privileges to bypass 'Strict' or 'Secure' template referencing restrictions. By injecting unvalidated fields into the nested ArtifactGC configuration, attackers can execute arbitrary pod patches, leading to host namespace escape and cluster-wide privilege escalation.\n\n## TL;DR\nArgo Workflows fails to recursively validate the ArtifactGC structure during template override sanitization, enabling attackers to inject custom pod spec patches and service accounts to compromise worker nodes.\n\n## Exploit Status: POC\n\n## Technical Details\n\n- **CWE ID**: CWE-284\n- **Attack Vector**: Network\n- **CVSS v3.1**: 9.9 (Critical)\n- **CVSS v4.0**: 8.9 (High)\n- **Exploit Maturity**: Proof-of-Concept / Technical Bypass\n- **CISA KEV Status**: Not Listed\n- **Ransomware Use**: No\n\n## Affected Systems\n\n- Argo Workflows\n- **Argo Workflows**: >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.15 (Fixed in: `v3.7.15`)\n- **Argo Workflows**: >= 4.0.0, < 4.0.6 (Fixed in: `v4.0.6`)\n\n## Mitigation\n\n- Upgrade to Argo Workflows v3.7.15, v4.0.6, or later versions.\n- Deploy Kyverno or OPA Gatekeeper policies to reject Workflow submissions with nested ServiceAccountName or PodSpecPatch in ArtifactGC.\n- Apply least-privilege RBAC to all workflow service accounts to minimize the blast radius of a potential compromise.\n\n**Remediation Steps:**\n1. Identify current deployed versions of Argo Workflows across all clusters.\n2. Apply the update to v3.7.15 (for 3.7.x) or v4.0.6 (for 4.0.x) using Helm or kubectl apply.\n3. Verify the installation by testing workflow submissions with custom podSpecPatch fields under ArtifactGC to ensure they are blocked.\n4. Monitor controller logs for any validation errors indicating rejected submissions containing unauthorized overrides.\n\n## References\n\n- [Official Fix Commit](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/commit/277e9cef0ad16d7eaaab253573d0695951a65dbd)\n- [Backported Fix Commit](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/commit/358cc3968c8f06f1be0967e41df191088db0b662)\n- [v3.7.15 Release Notes](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/releases/tag/v3.7.15)\n- [v4.0.6 Release Notes](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/releases/tag/v4.0.6)\n- [GitHub Advisory Portal (GHSA-48p8-g2fx-3wwm)](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-workflows/security/advisories/GHSA-48p8-g2fx-3wwm)\n- [National Vulnerability Database Entry](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54526)\n\n\n---\n*Generated by [CVEReports](https://cvereports.com/reports/CVE-2026-54526) - Automated Vulnerability Intelligence*", "creation_timestamp": "2026-08-13T17:32:46.863393Z"}