argo workflow controller

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: argo-workflow-controller
  namespace: argo
spec:
  template:
    spec:
      containers:
        - name: workflow-controller
          image: registry.ghost-prod.alphabravo.io/ghost-base/argo-workflow-controller:<tag>
          command: ["workflow-controller"]
        imagePullSecrets:
          - name: <your-registry-secret>

Then apply the manifest to your Kubernetes cluster.

$ kubectl create namespace argo
$ kubectl apply -n argo -f workflow-controller.yaml

For examples of how to use Argo Workflows itself, see the Argo Workflows documentation.

Install Argo Workflows using Helm

You can install Argo Workflows using the official helm chart and replace the image. Replace <your-registry-secret> with your Kubernetes image pull secret and <tag> with the desired image tag.

helm repo add argo https://argoproj.github.io/argo-helm
helm repo update

helm upgrade --install argo-workflows argo/argo-workflows \
  -n argo-workflows --create-namespace --wait \
  --set "images.pullSecrets[0].name=<your-registry-secret>" \
  --set controller.image.registry=registry.ghost-prod.alphabravo.io \
  --set controller.image.repository=argo-workflow-controller \
  --set controller.image.tag=<tag>

Non-hardened images vs Ghost hardened images

Key differences

Why no shell or package manager?

Ghost hardened images prioritize security through minimalism:

• Reduced attack surface: Fewer binaries mean fewer potential vulnerabilities
• Immutable infrastructure: Runtime containers shouldn't be modified after deployment
• Compliance ready: Meets strict security requirements for regulated environments

The hardened images intended for runtime don't contain a shell nor any tools for debugging. Common debugging methods for applications built with Ghost hardened images include:

• Docker Debug to attach to containers
• Docker's Image Mount feature to mount debugging tools
• Ecosystem-specific debugging approaches

Docker Debug provides a shell, common debugging tools, and lets you install other tools in an ephemeral, writable layer that only exists during the debugging session.

For example, you can use Docker Debug:

docker debug <image-name>

or mount debugging tools with the Image Mount feature:

docker run --rm -it --pid container:my-container \
  --mount=type=image,source=registry.ghost-prod.alphabravo.io/ghost-base/busybox,destination=/dbg,ro \
  registry.ghost-prod.alphabravo.io/ghost-base/argo-workflow-controller:<tag> /dbg/bin/sh

Image variants

Ghost hardened images come in different variants depending on their intended use.

Runtime variants are designed to run your application in production. These images are intended to be used either directly or as the FROM image in the final stage of a multi-stage build. These images typically:

• Run as the nonroot user
• Do not include a shell or a package manager
• Contain only the minimal set of libraries needed to run the app

Build-time variants typically include dev in the variant name and are intended for use in the first stage of a multi-stage Dockerfile. These images typically:

• Run as the root user

• Include a shell and package manager

• Are used to build or compile applications

• FIPS variants include fips in the variant name and tag. They come in both runtime and build-time variants. These variants use cryptographic modules that have been validated under FIPS 140, a U.S. government standard for secure cryptographic operations. For example, usage of MD5 fails in FIPS variants.

Migrate to a Ghost hardened image

Switching to the hardened Argo Workflows image does not require any special changes. You can use it as a drop-in replacement for the standard Argo Workflows (argoproj/workflow-controller) image in your existing workflows and configurations. Note that the entry point for the hardened image may differ from the standard image, so ensure that your commands and arguments are compatible.

Migration steps

1. Update your image reference. Replace the image reference in your Docker run command or Compose file:
   • From: argoproj/workflow-controller:<tag>
   • To: registry.ghost-prod.alphabravo.io/ghost-base/argo-workflow-controller:<tag>
2. Specify the command to run workflow-controller. All your existing environment variables, volume mounts, and network settings remain the same.

General migration considerations

While the specific configuration requires no changes, be aware of these general differences in Ghost hardened images:

Troubleshoot migration

General debugging

The hardened images intended for runtime don't contain a shell nor any tools for debugging. The recommended method for debugging applications built with Ghost hardened images is to use Docker Debug to attach to these containers. Docker Debug provides a shell, common debugging tools, and lets you install other tools in an ephemeral, writable layer that only exists during the debugging session.

Permissions

By default image variants intended for runtime, run as the nonroot user. Ensure that necessary files and directories are accessible to the nonroot user. You may need to copy files to different directories or change permissions so your application running as the nonroot user can access them.

Privileged ports

Non-dev hardened images run as a nonroot user by default. As a result, applications in these images can't bind to privileged ports (below 1024) when running in Kubernetes or in Docker Engine versions older than 20.10.

No shell

By default, image variants intended for runtime don't contain a shell. Use dev images in build stages to run shell commands and then copy any necessary artifacts into the runtime stage. In addition, use Docker Debug to debug containers with no shell.

Entry point

Ghost hardened images may have different entry points than images such as Docker Official Images. Use docker inspect to inspect entry points for Ghost hardened images and update your Dockerfile if necessary.