Repository Credentials Race Condition Crashes Argo CD Server
Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Versions between 2.1.0 and 2.14.19, 3.2.0, 3.1.0 through 3.1.7, and 3.0.0 through 3.0.18 contain a race condition in the repository credentials handler that can cause the Argo CD server to panic and crash when concurrent operations are performed on the same repository URL. The vulnerability is located in numerous repository related handlers in the util/db/repository_secrets.go file. A valid API token with repositories resource permissions (create, update, or delete actions) is required to trigger the race condition. This vulnerability causes the entire Argo CD server to crash and become unavailable. Attackers can repeatedly and continuously trigger the race condition to maintain a denial-of-service state, disrupting all GitOps operations. This issue is fixed in versions 2.14.20, 3.1.8 and 3.0.19.
02 / AFFECTED SOFTWARE
Affected packages
29 explicit affected versions
1 explicit affected versions
03 / CONNECTIONS
Connected vulnerabilities
04 / EVIDENCE
Source records
Repository Credentials Race Condition Crashes Argo CD Server in github.com/argoproj/argo-cd
### Summary A race condition in the repository credentials handler can cause the Argo CD server to panic and crash when concurrent operations are performed on the same repository URL. ### Details The vulnerability is located in numerous repository related handlers in the `util/db/repository_secrets.go` file. For example, in the `secretToRepoCred` function. The issue manifests as a concurrent map access panic: ``` concurrent map read and map write ... goroutine 1104 [running]: github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/v2/util/db.(*secretsRepositoryBackend).secretToRepoCred(0xc000e50ea8?, 0xc000c65540) /go/src/github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/util/db/repository_secrets.go:404 +0x31e ``` The race condition occurs due to: 1. Concurrent repository credential operations (create/update/delete) accessing the same map 2. Kubernetes informer re-syncs happening simultaneously 3. Background watchers updating the same secret data 4. No mutex protection for map access A valid API token with `repositories` resource permissions (`create`, `update`, or `delete` actions) is required to trigger the race condition. ### Impact This vulnerability causes the entire Argo CD server to crash and become unavailable. Attackers can repeatedly and continuously trigger the race condition to maintain a denial-of-service state, disrupting all GitOps operations. Default ArgoCD configuration is vulnerable. The affected code was originally introduced in [PR #6103](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/pull/6103) and released in [v2.1.0](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/releases/tag/v2.1.0). This data race was addressed by deep-copying the `Secret` objects before reading/writing. ### Credits This vulnerability was found, reported and fixed by: @thevilledev The Argo team would like to thank him for his responsible disclosure and constructive communications during the resolve of this issue.
Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Versions between 2.1.0 and 2.14.19, 3.2.0-rc1, 3.1.0-rc1 through 3.1.7, and 3.0.0-rc1 through 3.0.18 contain a race condition in the repository credentials handler that can cause the Argo CD server to panic and crash when concurrent operations are performed on the same repository URL. The vulnerability is located in numerous repository related handlers in the util/db/repository_secrets.go file. A valid API token with repositories resource permissions (create, update, or delete actions) is required to trigger the race condition. This vulnerability causes the entire Argo CD server to crash and become unavailable. Attackers can repeatedly and continuously trigger the race condition to maintain a denial-of-service state, disrupting all GitOps operations. This issue is fixed in versions 2.14.20, 3.2.0-rc2, 3.1.8 and 3.0.19.
Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. Versions between 2.1.0 and 2.14.19, 3.2.0, 3.1.0 through 3.1.7, and 3.0.0 through 3.0.18 contain a race condition in the repository credentials handler that can cause the Argo CD server to panic and crash when concurrent operations are performed on the same repository URL. The vulnerability is located in numerous repository related handlers in the util/db/repository_secrets.go file. A valid API token with repositories resource permissions (create, update, or delete actions) is required to trigger the race condition. This vulnerability causes the entire Argo CD server to crash and become unavailable. Attackers can repeatedly and continuously trigger the race condition to maintain a denial-of-service state, disrupting all GitOps operations. This issue is fixed in versions 2.14.20, 3.1.8 and 3.0.19.
05 / REFERENCES
Further evidence
- https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/commit/701bc50d01c752cad96185f848088d287a97c7b7
- https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/pull/6103
- https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/security/advisories/GHSA-g88p-r42r-ppp9
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-55191
- https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd
- https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2025-3994
- https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2025/55xxx/CVE-2025-55191.json