Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-25163

Info Disclosure in Argoproj Argo Cd 2.6.0

Published
08 February 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 6.3
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
EPSS Score 0.0084 55th percentile
Risk Priority 47 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-25163 is a medium-severity Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File (CWE-532) vulnerability in Argoproj Argo Cd. Its CVSS base score is 6.3 (Medium).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked in the top 45% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. All versions of Argo CD starting with v2.6.0-rc1 have an output sanitization bug which leaks repository access credentials in error messages. These error messages are visible to the user,…

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and they are logged. The error message is visible when a user attempts to create or update an Application via the Argo CD API (and therefor the UI or CLI). The user must have `applications, create` or `applications, update` RBAC access to reach the code which may produce the error. The user is not guaranteed to be able to trigger the error message. They may attempt to spam the API with requests to trigger a rate limit error from the upstream repository. If the user has `repositories, update` access, they may edit an existing repository to introduce a URL typo or otherwise force an error message. But if they have that level of access, they are probably intended to have access to the credentials anyway. A patch for this vulnerability has been released in version 2.6.1. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
T1552.001 Credentials In Files Credential Access
Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.
T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1654 Log Enumeration Discovery
Adversaries may enumerate system and service logs to find useful data.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-40029Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2026-45737Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2026-42880Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2025-55190Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2025-23216Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2023-40026Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2023-50726Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2024-28175Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2024-41666Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd
CVE-2026-45738Same product: Argoproj Argo Cd

Affected Assets

argoproj
argo cd
2.6.0

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-532

Procedures mandate excluding sensitive data from logs to prevent unauthorized exposure via audit records.

addresses: CWE-532

Identifies insertion of sensitive data into logs, allowing detection of unauthorized disclosure.

addresses: CWE-532

Cross-organizational coordination enables agreement on what data to include in audit logs, directly reducing insertion of sensitive information.

addresses: CWE-532

Identifying logging as a data action allows prevention of sensitive information being inserted into log files.

addresses: CWE-532

The process of identifying and eradicating spilled information applies directly to sensitive data inserted into log files.

addresses: CWE-532

Specific processing rules for sensitive PII categories commonly include restrictions on logging, making insertion of such data into log files less likely.

addresses: CWE-532

PIAs detect planned or existing logging of PII and require removal or protection, preventing insertion of sensitive information into logs.

addresses: CWE-532

Limits insertion of sensitive operational details into logs by treating such data as key information requiring protection.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly prohibit writing sensitive data to logs; eliminating the weakness satisfies only one narrow slice of the control.

PR.PS-04 partial match
prevents

Log generation configuration can and should exclude sensitive data, but the control statement focuses on availability rather than content filtering.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.15 Logging mostly match
prevents

Requiring de-identification and privacy controls before logs leave the organization reduces the chance that sensitive data inadvertently captured in logs becomes exposed to external parties.

mitigates

By defining what records must be kept, where, and for how long, the control discourages the inadvertent inclusion of sensitive information in logs or other externally accessible files that fall outside the formal record system.

mitigates

Mandating deletion of temporary files and logs that may contain sensitive information prevents those artifacts from remaining accessible after the data is no longer needed.

A.8.11 Data masking partial match
mitigates

When log entries are produced from masked data sets, the control prevents the inadvertent insertion of sensitive values into externally accessible log files.

mitigates

DLP inspection of logs and file transfers can detect and block the inadvertent placement of sensitive tokens or credentials into externally accessible log files before they are written or transmitted.

prevents

Requiring restrictions on free-text fields and proper error-message handling stops developers from embedding or leaking sensitive data into logs or diagnostic output.

References