Critical n8n Vulnerability Enables Authenticated Remote Code Execution

A severe security vulnerability has been discovered in n8n, the popular workflow automation platform, which allows authenticated users to execute arbitrary code remotely on affected instances.

The flaw poses significant risks to both self-hosted deployments and n8n Cloud instances, potentially leading to complete system compromise.

The authenticated Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability affects n8n’s core service under specific conditions. Security researchers identified that malicious actors with valid authentication credentials can exploit this weakness to run untrusted code on the platform.

Once executed, the vulnerability grants attackers extensive control over the compromised instance, enabling them to access sensitive data, modify workflows, and potentially pivot to connected systems.

The severity of this vulnerability stems from its potential impact on organizations using n8n for business-critical automation tasks. Since n8n often integrates with multiple services and databases, a successful exploit could provide attackers with access to a wide range of connected resources and sensitive information.

Both deployment models of n8n are vulnerable to this security flaw. Self-hosted instances running vulnerable versions face immediate risk, particularly in environments where multiple users have access to the platform. Similarly, n8n Cloud customers are affected, though the vendor has likely implemented patches on their managed infrastructure.

The authenticated nature of this vulnerability means attackers require valid user credentials to exploit the flaw. However, this requirement provides limited protection, as compromised accounts, insider threats, or social engineering attacks could provide the necessary access. Organizations with relaxed access controls or numerous user accounts face elevated risk.

n8n has released version 1.121.3 to address this critical vulnerability. The development team strongly recommends that all users upgrade to this patched version immediately to eliminate the security risk. The update includes fixes that prevent untrusted code execution and strengthen the platform’s security posture.

System administrators should prioritize this update in their patch management cycles, given the severity of the potential compromise. Organizations should verify the successful deployment of the patch across all n8n instances within their infrastructure.

For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, n8n has provided temporary workarounds to reduce exposure. Administrators can disable the Git node functionality, which appears to be associated with the vulnerability’s exploitation path.

Additionally, restricting platform access to trusted users only and implementing stricter authentication controls can minimize risk until patches are deployed.

Organizations should also review user access logs for suspicious activity and monitor for any unauthorized code execution attempts during the vulnerability window.

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