Alex Joseph
A significant security flaw has been identified in the n8n automation platform that could allow unauthorized users to gain elevated privileges and even execute malicious code. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-65595, stems from an improper assignment of Public API key scopes within the Token Exchange module, posing a high risk to affected systems.
CVE Details
Product: n8n
Published: July 22, 2026
Severity: HIGH (CVSS Score: 8.8)
Status: Analyzed
Affected Products
This vulnerability impacts n8n Community and Enterprise editions:
- n8n versions prior to 2.30.1
- n8n versions prior to 2.29.8
Current Status
The vulnerability has been thoroughly analyzed and confirmed. Patches are available, and administrators are strongly advised to update their n8n instances immediately to protect against potential exploitation.
Severity Level
Rated as "High" severity with a CVSS score of 8.8, this vulnerability presents a serious risk. An attacker with low-level access can exploit this flaw to perform actions typically reserved for administrators, such as creating or deleting users and escalating their own privileges. In scenarios where unverified Community Package installation is enabled, this could further lead to remote code execution, giving attackers full control over the affected n8n instance.
Possible Solutions
The most effective solution is to upgrade your n8n installation to a patched version. The issue has been addressed in the following releases:
- n8n 2.30.1 and later
- n8n 2.29.8 and later
If an immediate upgrade is not feasible, administrators can implement temporary mitigation steps:
- Disable the Token Exchange feature: Set
N8N_TOKEN_EXCHANGE_ENABLED=falseorN8N_ENV_FEAT_TOKEN_EXCHANGE=falsein your n8n configuration. - Restrict Public API access: Limit network access to the Public API to only trusted clients.
- Disable unverified Community Package installation: Set
N8N_UNVERIFIED_PACKAGES_ENABLED=falseto prevent potential remote code execution via this vector.
These workarounds are temporary measures and do not fully eliminate the risk. A full upgrade remains the recommended action.
References
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories/GHSA-777w-rpr6-c52h
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/n8n-before-privilege-escalation-via-token-exchange
