Summary
Kargo's GetConfig() and RefreshResource() API endpoints allow unauthenticated access
Workarounds
There are no workarounds for this issue, so it is highly recommended to upgrade at the earliest possible
Additional details
This issue was caused by fallback logic in token authentication. The majority of Kargo endpoints are backed by Kubernetes objects, and for these endpoints, unrecognized token types are passed to the Kubernetes API for validation. However, the affected endpoints do not use Kubernetes or used an internal client not subject to authentication, so unrecognized tokens had no validation fallback. As a result, any request with a non-empty Bearer token in the Authorization header was incorrectly treated as authorized.
Impact
A bug was found with authentication checks on the GetConfig() API endpoint. This allowed unauthenticated users to access this endpoint by specifying an Authorization header with any non-empty Bearer token value, regardless of validity. This vulnerability did allow for exfiltration of configuration data such as endpoints for connected Argo CD clusters. This data could allow an attacker to enumerate cluster URLs and namespaces for use in subsequent attacks.
Additionally, the same bug affected the RefreshResource endpoint. This endpoint does not lead to any information disclosure, but could be used by an unauthenticated attacker to perform a denial-of-service style attack against the Kargo API. RefreshResource sets an annotation on specific Kubernetes resources to trigger reconciliations. If run on a constant loop, this could also slow down legitimate requests to the Kubernetes API server.
This vulnerability was identified by security researchers, and there are no known reports of exploitation in the wild.
The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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This problem has been patched in the previous 3 versions of Kargo. Based on our information, almost all users are on one of these versions. If for some reason you cannot upgrade from an earlier version, please reach out to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-24748? CVE-2026-24748 is a medium-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in github.com/akuity/kargo (go), affecting versions < 1.6.3. It is fixed in 1.6.3, 1.7.7, 1.8.7. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
- Which versions of github.com/akuity/kargo are affected by CVE-2026-24748? github.com/akuity/kargo (go) versions < 1.6.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-24748? Yes. CVE-2026-24748 is fixed in 1.6.3, 1.7.7, 1.8.7. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-24748 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-24748 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
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-24748 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.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-24748?
- Upgrade
github.com/akuity/kargoto 1.6.3 or later - Upgrade
github.com/akuity/kargoto 1.7.7 or later - Upgrade
github.com/akuity/kargoto 1.8.7 or later
- Upgrade