Alex Joseph
Understanding the n8n Path Traversal Vulnerability
A significant security flaw, identified as CVE-2026-72773, has been discovered in n8n, a popular workflow automation platform. This vulnerability allows attackers to bypass security measures in the `file-search` tool within the `@n8n/computer-use` component. Essentially, a specially crafted search pattern can trick the system into looking for files outside its designated safe directory. This means an attacker could potentially read the names and contents of sensitive files stored on the server where n8n is running, provided the n8n daemon’s operating system user has access to them.
CVE Details
- Product: n8n
- Published Date: August 11, 2026
- Severity: HIGH (CVSS Score 7.7)
- Status: Analyzed
Affected Products
This vulnerability impacts specific versions of n8n. If you are running n8n versions prior to 2.31.5 or 2.32.x before 2.32.1, your system is at risk. It’s crucial to verify your current n8n version to determine if you are affected.
Current Status
The vulnerability (CVE-2026-72773) has been officially analyzed and confirmed. Details regarding its impact and available fixes have been made public, allowing users to take necessary actions to secure their deployments.
Severity Level
Rated as “HIGH” with a CVSS Score of 7.7, this vulnerability poses a serious risk. The ability for an attacker to bypass directory restrictions and read arbitrary local files can lead to the unauthorized disclosure of confidential data. This could include configuration files, credentials, or other sensitive information, making it a critical concern for system administrators and developers.
Possible Solutions
To protect your n8n instance from this path traversal vulnerability, the primary solution is to upgrade to a patched version immediately.
Recommended Action: Upgrade
- Upgrade your n8n instance to version 2.31.5 or later.
- Alternatively, if you are on the 2.32.x branch, upgrade to version 2.32.1 or later.
Temporary Workarounds (if immediate upgrade is not possible)
While upgrading is the definitive solution, if you cannot update immediately, consider these temporary mitigations:
- Restrict Access: Limit access to your n8n instance to only fully trusted users. This reduces the attack surface by ensuring only authorized personnel can interact with the system.
- Disable AI Agent Workflows: If your n8n deployment uses AI agent workflows that interact with the `@n8n/computer-use` package, consider temporarily disabling or removing these workflows until the instance is patched.
- Least Privilege: Ensure the n8n process runs under a dedicated operating system user account with the lowest possible privileges. This limits the scope of files an attacker could access even if the bypass is successfully exploited.
Remember, these workarounds are not full fixes and should only be used as short-term measures until a proper upgrade can be performed.
References
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories/GHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/n8n-before-path-traversal-via-computer-use-search-files
