While trying to communicate with an ArgoCD server over a command-line interface (CLI), you may receive an error as follows: “FATA[0005] rpc error: code = Unauthenticated desc invalid session: signature is invalid“.

This error usually occurs when you have forgotten to login to the ArgoCD server.

This short post shows how to resolve the ArgoCD’s “FATA[0005] Unauthenticated” error.

ArgoCD: FATA[0005] rpc error: code = Unauthenticated

Before trying to execute any of argocd commands, the first thing you should do, to avoid the “FATA[0005] rpc error: code = Unauthenticated desc invalid session: signature is invalid” error, is to login to the ArgoCD server.

To login to the ArgoCD server using a username and password, execute:

$ argocd login <argocdServer> --username <userName> --password "<userPassword>"
- or -
$ argocd login <argocdServer>
- sample output -
Username: <userName>
Password:
'<userName>:login' logged is successfully
Context <argocdServer> updated

If, while trying to login to the ArgoCD server, you will get “FATA[0060] context deadline exceeded“, read this note to resolve the issue.

To login to the ArgoCD server using an apiKey/token:

$ argocd login <argocdServer> --auth-token <apiKey>
- or -
$ export ARGOCD_AUTH_TOKEN="<apiKey>"
$ argocd login <argocdServer>

To login using an SSO:

$ argocd login <argocdServer> --sso

Once you login to the ArgoCD server, the “FATA[0005] rpc error: code = Unauthenticated desc invalid session: signature is invalid” error should be resolved.