# v2.4 to 2.5

## Configure RBAC to account for new `applicationsets` resource

2.5 introduces a new `applicationsets` [RBAC resource](https://argo-cd.readthedocs.io/en/stable/operator-manual/rbac/#rbac-resources-and-actions).

When you upgrade to 2.5, RBAC policies with `*` in the resource field and `create`, `update`, `delete`, `get`, or `*` in the action field will automatically grant the `applicationsets` privilege.

To avoid granting the new privilege, replace the existing policy with a list of new policies explicitly listing the old resources.

### Example

Old:

```csv
p, role:org-admin, *, create, *, allow
```

New:

```csv
p, role:org-admin, clusters,     create, *, allow
p, role:org-admin, projects,     create, *, allow
p, role:org-admin, applications, create, *, allow
p, role:org-admin, repositories, create, *, allow
p, role:org-admin, certificates, create, *, allow
p, role:org-admin, accounts,     create, *, allow
p, role:org-admin, gpgkeys,      create, *, allow
p, role:org-admin, exec,         create, *, allow
```

(Note that `applicationsets` is missing from the list, to preserve pre-2.5 permissions.)

## argocd-cm plugins (CMPs) are deprecated

Starting with Argo CD v2.5, installing config management plugins (CMPs) via the `argocd-cm` ConfigMap is deprecated.
~~Support will be removed in v2.6.~~ Support will be removed in v2.7.

You can continue to use the plugins by [installing them as sidecars](https://argo-cd.readthedocs.io/en/stable/user-guide/config-management-plugins/)
on the repo-server Deployment.

Sidecar plugins are significantly more secure. Plugin code runs in its own container with an almost completely-isolated
filesystem. If an attacker compromises a plugin, the attacker's ability to cause harm is significantly mitigated.

To determine whether argocd-cm plugins are still in use, scan your argocd-repo-server and argocd-server logs for the 
following message:

> argocd-cm plugins are deprecated, and support will be removed in v2.6. Upgrade your plugin to be installed via sidecar. https://argo-cd.readthedocs.io/en/stable/user-guide/config-management-plugins/

**NOTE:** removal of argocd-cm plugin support was delayed to v2.7. Update your logs scan to use `v2.7` instead of `v2.6`.

If you run `argocd app list` as admin, the list of Applications using deprecated plugins will be logged as a warning.

## Dex server TLS configuration

In order to secure the communications between the dex server and the Argo CD API server, TLS is now enabled by default on the dex server.

By default, without configuration, the dex server will generate a self-signed certificate upon startup. However, we recommend that users
configure their own TLS certificate using the `argocd-dex-server-tls` secret. Please refer to the [TLS configuration guide](../tls.md#configuring-tls-to-argocd-dex-server) for more information.

## Invalid users.session.duration values now fall back to 24h

Before v2.5, an invalid `users.session.duration` value in argocd-cm would 1) log a warning and 2) result in user sessions having no duration limit.

Starting with v2.5, invalid duration values will fall back to the default value of 24 hours with a warning.

## Out-of-bounds symlinks now blocked at fetch

There have been several path traversal and identification vulnerabilities disclosed in the past related to symlinks. To help prevent any further vulnerabilities, we now scan all repositories and Helm charts for **out of bounds symlinks** at the time they are fetched and block further processing if they are found.

An out-of-bounds symlink is defined as any symlink that leaves the root of the Git repository or Helm chart, even if the final target is within the root.

If an out of bounds symlink is found, a warning will be printed to the repo server console and an error will be shown in the UI or CLI.

Below is an example directory structure showing valid symlinks and invalid symlinks.

```
chart
├── Chart.yaml
├── values
│   └── values.yaml
├── bad-link.yaml   -> ../out-of-bounds.yaml       # Blocked
├── bad-link-2.yaml -> ../chart/values/values.yaml # Blocked because it leaves the root
├── bad-link-3.yaml -> /absolute/link.yaml         # Blocked
└── good-link.yaml  -> values/values.yaml          # OK
```

If you rely on out of bounds symlinks, this check can be disabled one of three ways:

1. The `--allow-oob-symlinks` argument on the repo server.
2. The `reposerver.allow.oob.symlinks` key if you are using `argocd-cmd-params-cm`
3. Directly setting `ARGOCD_REPO_SERVER_ALLOW_OOB_SYMLINKS` environment variable on the repo server.

It is **strongly recommended** to leave this check enabled. Disabling the check will not allow _all_ out-of-bounds symlinks. Those will still be blocked for things like values files in Helm charts, but symlinks which are not explicitly blocked by other checks will be allowed.

## Deprecated client-side manifest diffs

When using `argocd app diff --local`, code from the repo server is run on the user's machine in order to locally generate manifests for comparing against the live manifests of an app. However, this requires that the necessary tools (Helm, Kustomize, etc) are installed with the correct versions. Even worse, it does not support Config Management Plugins (CMPs) whatsoever.

In order to support CMPs and reduce local requirements, we have implemented *server-side generation* of local manifests via the `--server-side-generate` argument. For example, `argocd app diff --local repoDir --server-side-generate` will upload the contents of `repoDir` to the repo server and run your manifest generation pipeline against it, the same as it would for a Git repo.

In ~~v2.6~~ v2.7, the `--server-side-generate` argument will become the default, ~~and client-side generation will be removed~~ and client-side generation will be supported as an alternative.

!!! warning
    The semantics of *where* Argo will start generating manifests within a repo has changed between client-side and server-side generation. With client-side generation, the application's path (`spec.source.path`) was ignored and the value of `--local-repo-root` was effectively used (by default `/` relative to `--local`).
    
    For example, given an application that has an application path of `/manifests`, you would have had to run `argocd app diff --local yourRepo/manifests`. This behavior did not match the repo server's process of downloading the full repo/chart and then beginning generation in the path specified in the application manifest.

    When switching to server-side generation, `--local` should point to the root of your repo *without* including your `spec.source.path`. This is especially important to keep in mind when `--server-side-generate` becomes the default in v2.7. Existing scripts utilizing `diff --local` may break in v2.7 if `spec.source.path` was not `/`.
    
## Upgraded Kustomize Version

The bundled Kustomize version has been upgraded from 4.4.1 to 4.5.7.

## Upgraded Helm Version

Note that bundled Helm version has been upgraded from 3.9.0 to 3.10.1.

## Upgraded HAProxy version

The HAProxy version in the HA manifests has been upgraded from 2.0.25 to 2.6.2. To read about the changes/improvements,
see the HAProxy major release announcements ([2.1.0](https://www.mail-archive.com/haproxy@formilux.org/msg35491.html),
[2.2.0](https://www.mail-archive.com/haproxy@formilux.org/msg37852.html),
[2.3.0](https://www.mail-archive.com/haproxy@formilux.org/msg38812.html),
[2.4.0](https://www.mail-archive.com/haproxy@formilux.org/msg40499.html),
[2.5.0](https://www.mail-archive.com/haproxy@formilux.org/msg41508.html), and
[2.6.0](https://www.mail-archive.com/haproxy@formilux.org/msg42371.html).

## Logs RBAC enforcement will remain opt-in

This note is just for clarity. No action is required.

We [expected](../upgrading/2.3-2.4.md#enable-logs-rbac-enforcement) to enable logs RBAC enforcement by default in 2.5.
We have decided not to do that in the 2.x series due to disruption for users of [Project Roles](../../user-guide/projects.md#project-roles).
