Summary
Argo CD repo-server command injection via crafted SSH repository SOCKS5 proxy URL
Workarounds
There is no setting that keeps SSH repository proxies and removes the shell command.
- Do not grant repository create or update to untrusted users, including project-scoped repository access. See RBAC resources and project-scoped repositories.
- Do not set a proxy on an SSH repository or on a credential template that matches SSH repositories. The proxy field is documented in Configure repositories with proxy. Credential templates are documented in Credential templates. The
--proxyflag is documented inargocd repo add.
An HTTPS Git repository with an HTTP proxy does not use this command. Review existing repository and credential-template Secrets for unexpected proxy values.
Credits
The Argo CD team would like to thank @kamil-sawicki, @yuvalelarat, @cherez0ff, @McCaulay, @gehan-psbc, @ria-labs-security, @parameter-ai-security, and @zwindler for responsibly disclosing this issue according to our security reporting guidelines.
References
- Introducing commit: 9b27aeb1a4fb15d11a0f01cad65dea1fdfc60205 (#15864), first released in v2.11.0
- Configure repositories with proxy
For more information
- Open an issue in the Argo CD issue tracker or discussions
- Join us on Slack in channel #argo-cd
Impact
Argo CD runs a shell command in the repo-server when it clones or fetches an SSH Git repository that has a proxy URL. The proxy host and port are copied into an SSH ProxyCommand. A host that contains shell metacharacters breaks out of that command and runs in the repo-server.
All versions from v2.11.0 onward are affected, including every currently supported release. v2.10.20 and earlier are not. The behavior was introduced in 9b27aeb1a4 (2024-01-09, #15864), the change that added SOCKS5 proxy support for SSH Git URLs, and was first released in v2.11.0.
The repository must use SSH. http, https, and socks5 proxy URLs all take this path when they are set on an SSH repository. An HTTPS Git repository uses the proxy as an HTTP proxy and does not build this command.
Anyone who can create or update a repository or a repository credential template can set the proxy. That includes a project-scoped repository permission, argocd repo add --proxy, and a repository Secret. A credential template applies its proxy to every matching SSH repository that does not have its own credentials. Argo CD runs the command when it tests the repository connection and on later fetches. The process can read other Git, Helm, and OCI credentials stored for the repo-server.
Untrusted input reaches a shell command, allowing arbitrary commands to run on the host. Typical impact: code execution in the application's environment.
CVE-2026-55797 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (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 (3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, 3.6.0-rc2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
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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A patch for this vulnerability has been released in the following Argo CD versions:
- v3.6.0-rc2
- v3.5.4
- v3.4.10
- v3.3.15
The fix stops passing the proxy host and port through a shell.
Argo CD 2.x and 3.0 through 3.2 are out of support and will not receive a patch. Upgrade to a patched 3.3 or newer release.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-55797? CVE-2026-55797 is a high-severity OS command injection vulnerability in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2 (go), affecting versions >= 2.11.0, <= 2.14.21. It is fixed in 3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, 3.6.0-rc2. Untrusted input reaches a shell command, allowing arbitrary commands to run on the host.
- How severe is CVE-2026-55797? CVE-2026-55797 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (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.
- Which packages are affected by CVE-2026-55797?
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2(go) (versions >= 2.11.0, <= 2.14.21)github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3(go) (versions >= 3.0.0, < 3.3.15)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-55797? Yes. CVE-2026-55797 is fixed in 3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, 3.6.0-rc2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-55797 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-55797 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-2026-55797 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-2026-55797?
- Upgrade
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3to 3.3.15 or later - Upgrade
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3to 3.4.10 or later - Upgrade
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3to 3.5.4 or later - Upgrade
github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v3to 3.6.0-rc2 or later
- Upgrade