CVE-2025-55191: Repository Credentials Race Condition Crashes Argo CD Server
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/repositorysecrets.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/repositorysecrets.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 and released in 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.
Other sources
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/repositorysecrets.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.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-55191?
CVE-2025-55191 is considered a critical vulnerability due to its potential to cause the Argo CD server to crash.
How do I fix CVE-2025-55191?
To fix CVE-2025-55191, upgrade to Argo CD version 3.0.19, 3.1.8, 3.2.0-rc2, or 2.14.20.
What specific issue does CVE-2025-55191 address?
CVE-2025-55191 addresses a race condition in the repository credentials handler that can lead to server panic and crashes.
Which versions of Argo CD are affected by CVE-2025-55191?
Versions 3.0.0-rc1 to 3.0.18, 3.1.0-rc1 to 3.1.7, and 2.1.0 to 2.14.19 are affected by CVE-2025-55191.
Is CVE-2025-55191 an easy vulnerability to exploit?
Due to the nature of the race condition, CVE-2025-55191 can be exploited relatively easily during concurrent operations.