{"id":"CVE-2026-113709","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2026-113709"],"related":[],"title":"Argo CD: repo-server runs attacker plugin through Helm when enabled","description":"Argo CD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. From 2.1.0 until 3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, and 3.6.0-rc2, when an operator has enabled --enable-helm for kustomize build, helmGlobals.configHome can point Helm's config and data directories at a repository-controlled location. Helm automatically loads a downloader plugin from `<configHome>/.data/plugins` without a separate plugin-install step and executes its program inside argocd-repo-server when a helmCharts repository URL uses the plugin's protocol. The command runs as the repo-server user and can read repository credentials and other process-accessible data. An attacker can commit the Kustomization and plugin to a Git repository that an Application builds or upload the files through POST /api/v1/applications/manifestsWithFiles, also exposed by argocd app diff --local --server-side-generate. The upload path requires only Application get permission on an existing Application, without Application update or sync permission or repository write access. Both delivery paths require prior operator enablement of --enable-helm; deployments that do not enable it are not affected. Kustomize 4.1.0 first passed helmGlobals.configHome through to Helm. This issue is fixed in versions 3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, and 3.6.0-rc2.","summary":"When Argo CD runs with --enable-helm, a Kustomization in a Git repo can make Helm load a downloader plugin that executes code inside argocd-repo-server. The attacker can then read repository credentials and other data the repo-server process can access, and the upload endpoint needs only Application get permission.","severity":"critical","cvss":9.9,"epss":null,"exploited":false,"exploited_at":null,"products":[],"ecosystems":[],"tags":["argocd","gitops","infrastructure","kubernetes","runtime","self-hosted"],"not_affected_if":["default-config","fixed-versions","no-enable-helm","versions-before-2.1.0"],"how_to_check":"Check whether the argocd-repo-server or argocd-application-controller args include --enable-helm (kubectl get deploy argocd-repo-server -n argocd -o yaml | grep enable-helm).\nCheck the running Argo CD version (argocd version).","fix":"Upgrade to 3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, or 3.6.0-rc2 (the fixed release on your minor line). If you do not need Helm inside kustomize build, remove --enable-helm.","status":"open","published_at":"2026-10-20T19:17:33+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:21+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-23T22:39:22+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-23T22:39:22+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.8,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-23T22:39:22Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"Upgrade to 3.3.15, 3.4.10, 3.5.4, or 3.6.0-rc2 (the fixed release on your minor line). If you do not need Helm inside kustomize build, remove --enable-helm.","reach":"internet","title":"Argo CD: repo-server runs attacker plugin through Helm when enabled","impact":"high","summary":"When Argo CD runs with --enable-helm, a Kustomization in a Git repo can make Helm load a downloader plugin that executes code inside argocd-repo-server. The attacker can then read repository credentials and other data the repo-server process can access, and the upload endpoint needs only Application get permission.","category":"infrastructure","who_cares":["argocd","gitops","kubernetes","self-hosted"],"confidence":0.8,"needs_auth":"yes","worst_case":"code runs in repo-server and repository credentials can be read","analyst_note":"Confirm the affected version ranges and whether the Argo CD advisory (GHSA) lists the same fixed versions as the NVD entry at https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-113709.","how_to_check":"Check whether the argocd-repo-server or argocd-application-controller args include --enable-helm (kubectl get deploy argocd-repo-server -n argocd -o yaml | grep enable-helm).\nCheck the running Argo CD version (argocd version).","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["default-config","no-enable-helm","versions-before-2.1.0","fixed-versions"],"user_interaction":"no","needs_special_setup":"yes","severity_if_unknown":"critical"},"cost_usd":0.000613,"input_tokens":3278,"output_tokens":570,"severity_before":"critical"},"analyst_status":null,"analyst_note":null,"search":"'-113709':15A,18A '-2026':14A,17A '/.data/plugins':135C '/api/v1/applications/manifestswithfiles':204C '2.1.0':94C '3.3.15':96C,272C '3.4.10':97C,273C '3.5.4':98C,274C '3.6.0':100C,276C '4.1.0':259C 'access':72B,180C,237C 'affect':257C 'also':205C 'app':209C 'applic':79B,196C,221C,227C,229C 'argo':1A,28B,82C 'argocd':19B,53B,149C,208C 'argocd-repo-serv':52B,148C 'attack':7A,57B,183C 'automat':129C 'build':112C,197C 'cd':2A,29B,83C 'code':50B 'command':163C 'commit':185C 'config':118C 'continu':88C 'control':126C 'credenti':62B,175C 'cve':13A,16A 'data':65B,120C,181C 'declar':86C 'deliveri':89C,239C 'deploy':249C 'diff':210C 'directori':121C 'download':46B,132C 'enabl':12A,33B,106C,108C,244C,247C,253C 'enable-helm':32B,107C,246C 'endpoint':76B 'execut':49B,144C 'exist':226C 'expos':206C 'file':201C 'first':260C 'fix':269C 'generat':215C 'get':80B,222C 'git':39B,192C 'gitop':20B,87C 'helm':10A,34B,43B,109C,116C,128C,248C,265C 'helmchart':154C 'helmglobals.confighome':113C,262C 'host':26B 'infrastructur':21B 'insid':51B,147C 'instal':141C 'issu':267C 'kubernet':22B,92C 'kustom':36B,111C,187C,258C 'load':44B,130C 'local':211C 'locat':127C 'make':42B 'need':77B 'oper':104C,243C 'pass':261C 'path':218C,240C 'permiss':81B,223C,233C 'plugin':8A,47B,133C,140C,159C,189C 'plugin-instal':139C 'point':115C 'post':203C 'prior':242C 'process':70B,179C 'process-access':178C 'program':146C 'protocol':161C 'rc2':101C,277C 'read':60B,173C 'repo':4A,40B,54B,68B,150C,168C 'repo-serv':3A,67B,167C 'repositori':61B,125C,155C,174C,193C,235C 'repository-control':124C 'requir':219C,241C 'run':6A,30B,164C 'runtim':23B 'self':25B 'self-host':24B 'separ':138C 'server':5A,55B,69B,151C,169C,213C 'server-side-gener':212C 'side':214C 'step':142C 'sync':232C 'tool':90C 'updat':230C 'upload':75B,199C,217C 'url':156C 'use':157C 'user':170C 'version':271C 'without':136C,228C 'write':236C","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":null,"tier":"B","verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2026-10-20T19:17:33+00:00","kev":null,"cvss_vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H","cvss_by":"security-advisories@github.com","poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2026-113709","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-113709","severity":null,"published_at":"2026-10-20T19:17:33+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-21T16:17:24+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:21+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T22:28:58+00:00","note":null}],"documents":[],"notice":"Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai"}