CVE-2023-40025

Workarounds

The only way to completely resolve the issue is to upgrade.

Mitigations

Disable web-based terminal or define RBAC rules to it
https://argo-cd.readthedocs.io/en/latest/operator-manual/web_based_terminal/

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

• Open an issue in the Argo CD issue tracker or discussions
• Join us on Slack in channel #argo-cd

Credits

Thank you to bean.zhang (@zhlu32 ) of HIT-IDS ChunkL Team who discovered the issue and reported it confidentially according to our guidelines.

All versions of Argo CD starting from v2.6.0 have a bug where open web terminal sessions do not expire. This bug allows users to send any websocket messages even if the token has already expired. The most straightforward scenario is when a user opens the terminal view and leaves it open for an extended period. This allows the user to view sensitive information even when they should have been logged out already.

CVE-2023-40025 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.6.14, 2.7.12, 2.8.1, 2.0.0-20230821201509-e047efa8f951); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

A patch for this vulnerability has been released in the following Argo CD version:

• v2.6.14
• v2.7.12
• v2.8.1

1. What is CVE-2023-40025? CVE-2023-40025 is a high-severity security vulnerability in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 (go), affecting versions >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.14. It is fixed in 2.6.14, 2.7.12, 2.8.1, 2.0.0-20230821201509-e047efa8f951.
2. How severe is CVE-2023-40025? CVE-2023-40025 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 are affected by CVE-2023-40025? github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 (go) versions >= 2.6.0, < 2.6.14 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2023-40025? Yes. CVE-2023-40025 is fixed in 2.6.14, 2.7.12, 2.8.1, 2.0.0-20230821201509-e047efa8f951. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2023-40025 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-40025 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2023-40025 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2023-40025?
   • Upgrade github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 to 2.6.14 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 to 2.7.12 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 to 2.8.1 or later
   • Upgrade github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 to 2.0.0-20230821201509-e047efa8f951 or later