Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Argo CD flaw can let a repository writer read certain YAML files outside their repository from the repo-server. The business risk is limited but real: secrets, decrypted manifests, or other application manifests could be exposed if stored or mounted as YAML on the repo-server.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate confidentiality issue. Prioritize patching shared or multi-team Argo CD deployments, especially where repository write access is broad or repo-server handles secrets and decrypted manifests.
Technical view
Affected Argo CD repo-server versions follow crafted symlinks in repositories used with Helm-type Applications. A low-privileged user with repository write access can cause Argo CD to read an out-of-bounds target when that target is valid YAML. The impact is confidentiality only per the supplied CVSS vector.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely where Argo CD versions from v1.3.0 through the listed vulnerable ranges are used, especially with Helm-type Applications and repository writers who are not fully trusted. Risk increases when repo-server has mounted YAML secrets, decrypted files, or other applications' YAML manifests.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show active exploitation, and KEV is false. Exploitation requires repository write access to a repository used, or potentially used, in a Helm-type Application. The attacker can only read target files that are valid YAML.
Researcher notes
CWE mappings are CWE-20 and CWE-61. CVSS is 4.3, AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N. The key boundary condition is that the out-of-bounds target must parse as YAML. Evidence is from the CVE record and Argo CD advisory.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Argo CD to v2.4.1, v2.3.5, v2.2.10, v2.1.16, or later fixed releases.
- For Argo CD >=v2.3.0 without Helm-type Applications, disable the Helm config management tool.
- Review repo-server mounted files and avoid mounting sensitive YAML secrets where possible.
- Restrict repository write access to trusted users and service accounts.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Argo CD versions and compare them with the affected version ranges.
- Identify Helm-type Applications and confirm whether Helm config management is enabled.
- Review who has write access to repositories used by Argo CD Applications.
- Check whether repo-server mounts YAML secrets, decrypted manifests, or other sensitive YAML files.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-20: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCWE-61: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupContainer behavior lookup
The affected technology mentions containers, so container-specific ATT&CK technique review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-31036 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 4.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N2.81.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
4.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/security/advisories/GHSA-q4w5-4gq2-98vmCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/commit/04c305396458508a31d03d44afea07b1c620d7cdCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.