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Argo Workflows ArtifactGC PodSpecPatch Strict/Secure Bypass
CVE-2026-54526 is an improper access-control vulnerability in Argo Workflows caused by incomplete remediation of CVE-2026-31892. In affected releases, Strict and Secure template-reference override validation allow-lists the ArtifactGC object at the top level without recursively sanitizing its nested fields. The nested PodSpecPatch value can therefore reach the artifact garbage-collection pod creation path and be applied as an arbitrary strategic merge patch. This bypasses the intended restriction preventing workflow submitters from modifying pod specifications when using referenced WorkflowTemplates.
What it means and what to do now: patch path, interim mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.
What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.
An authenticated workflow submitter can cause the artifact-GC pod to use attacker-controlled pod settings, including arbitrary images and commands, privileged execution, host-path mounts, host networking, host PID configuration, and potentially an alternative service account. This can enable execution with elevated Kubernetes and node-level privileges, access to host resources, container escape or worker-node compromise, abuse of privileged service-account credentials, and possible cluster-wide compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.
Until upgraded, do not permit untrusted or low-privileged users to submit workflows that can set ArtifactGC configuration under Strict or Secure template referencing. Enforce admission controls or equivalent policy to reject ArtifactGC PodSpecPatch and restrict artifact-GC pod customization. Apply Kubernetes pod-security controls that prohibit privileged containers, host-path volumes, host networking, host PID use, and unauthorized service-account selection.
Patch, then assume compromise.
Upgrade Argo Workflows v3 to version 3.7.15 or later, or v4 to version 4.0.6 or later. The corrective implementation must reject or strip nested ArtifactGC PodSpecPatch values during Strict/Secure override validation, or otherwise prevent those values from reaching the artifact-GC pod patching sink.
No public exploits tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.
Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.
4 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.