Alex Joseph
A critical security vulnerability has been identified in n8n, an open-source workflow automation platform. This flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-65590, affects specific installations where the @n8n/computer-use package is actively running on Linux and Windows systems. Essentially, the shell commands executed by this package were not properly sandboxed, meaning they could run with full, unrestricted access to the host system’s files and network. This creates a severe risk of complete system compromise.
CVE Details
- Product: n8n
- Published: July 22, 2026
- Severity: Critical
- Status: Analyzed
Affected Products
The vulnerability impacts n8n deployments that have explicitly installed and are running the @n8n/computer-use package. Standard n8n installations, without this particular package, are not affected. Specifically, the following versions are vulnerable:
- n8n versions before 2.29.8
- n8n 2.30.x versions before 2.30.1
Current Status
This vulnerability has been thoroughly analyzed, and its implications are well understood. Fortunately, patches are available to address the issue.
Severity Level
Rated as Critical with a CVSS score of 9.8, this vulnerability poses a severe threat. A Critical rating indicates that exploiting this flaw could lead to a complete compromise of the affected system. Because the shell commands can run without any filesystem or network restrictions, an attacker could gain full control over the host machine, access sensitive data, or launch further attacks within the network.
Possible Solutions
The most effective way to address this vulnerability is to upgrade your n8n installation. Patches have been released, and users are strongly advised to update to a secure version immediately if they are using the @n8n/computer-use package on Linux or Windows.
- Upgrade: Update your n8n instance to version 2.29.8 or 2.30.1, or any later versions. These updates include critical fixes for the sandboxing issue.
The fix specifically enhances sandbox enforcement on Linux using Bubblewrap and will disable the shell tool if a proper sandbox cannot be established. For deployments that absolutely require unsandboxed shell access despite the risks, an explicit opt-out flag (--dangerously-disable-shell-sandbox) is available, though its use is highly discouraged.
If an immediate upgrade isn’t feasible, temporary mitigation steps include:
- Disable or remove the
@n8n/computer-usepackage from your Linux or Windows n8n hosts. - Strictly limit access to the n8n instance and its computer-use agent to only fully trusted users.
Please remember, these workarounds offer only partial protection and should only be considered short-term solutions until you can apply the official patches.
References
https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories/GHSA-fpg6-x68q-5793
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/n8n-before-shell-sandbox-bypass-on-linux-windows
