CVE-2026-121621

Github.com/argoproj-labs/argocd-image-updater: argocd-image-updater: arbitrary command execution via crafted ssh repository proxy configuration

Published Nov 3, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 8.8 High EPSS 1.8% KEV · Not listed
Description
A command injection vulnerability was found in Argo CD Image Updater, where a proxy URL configured on an SSH Git repository is passed unsanitized into a shell-interpreted SSH command. An attacker able to set a malicious proxy value can inject shell metacharacters to execute arbitrary commands and access credentials in the context of the Image Updater process.

Remediation

Vendor Workaround

--- CME Mitigation Guidance (2026-11-04) --- Disclaimer: The following mitigation solutions are provided as a courtesy, pending the application of an official patch. This content was generated utilizing AI tools in conjunction with data from https://cmetaxonomy.org. Customers are advised to independently evaluate and test these temporary mitigations within their own infrastructure. The highest-value action is to eliminate shell evaluation of GIT_SSH_COMMAND and strictly validate proxy host inputs in Argo CD Image Updater: upgrade to the fixed Openshift Gitops 1/Argocd Image Updater Rhel builds, which validate the proxy URL scheme, hostname, and port and write proxy execution settings to a temporary wrapper script instead of embedding them directly into GIT_SSH_COMMAND, closing all 3 injection vectors (crafted proxy hostname containing shell metacharacters in repository configuration, crafted proxy URL in repository credential templates, crafted proxy configuration in backing repository Secrets). Until patched, this is only a concern on Argo CD Image Updater deployments cloning or fetching Git repositories over SSH configured with a proxy — HTTPS Git repository connections are unaffected — so restrict and audit access for creating or updating repositories, repository credential templates, and backing repository Secrets. As a compensating measure, sanitize metacharacters and argument delimiters in repository proxy parameters before passing them to SSH, run SELinux in enforcing mode to confine the Argo CD process and restrict arbitrary command execution, deploy an EDR agent to monitor and detect anomalous child shell spawns originating from the Image Updater service, and use Falco or eBPF runtime probes to detect unexpected shell execution and anomalous network or file activity. These controls limit blast radius and contain exploitation, but they do not fix the underlying command injection flaw — apply the upstream patch to fully remediate. Highest-impact CME: CME-1307 Command Injection Prevention (No Shell Invocation) (high)

Tracking

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Advisories

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History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A command injection vulnerability was found in Argo CD Image Updater, where a proxy URL configured on an SSH Git repository is passed unsanitized into a shell-interpreted SSH command. An attacker able to set a malicious proxy value can inject shell metacharacters to execute arbitrary commands and access credentials in the context of the Image Updater process.
Title Github.com/argoproj-labs/argocd-image-updater: argocd-image-updater: arbitrary command execution via crafted ssh repository proxy configuration
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat openshift Gitops
Weaknesses CWE-78
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:openshift_gitops:1
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat openshift Gitops
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
redhat
Published
Updated
Nov 6, 2026, 5:31 AM
Reserved
Nov 3, 2026, 4:47 PM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
Nov 3, 2026, 9:17 PM
Modified
Nov 6, 2026, 6:16 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Nov 2, 2026, 6:00 PM