CVE-2026-42231
CVE-2026-42231 is a remote code execution vulnerability in n8n. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2026-42231 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
n8n: Prototype Pollution in XML Webhook Body Parser Leads to RCE
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, a proxy for how much of the ecosystem is exposed.
n8nnpmDescription
n8n is an open source workflow automation platform. Prior to versions 1.123.32, 2.17.4, and 2.18.1, a flaw in the xml2js library used to parse XML request bodies in n8n's webhook handler allowed prototype pollution via a crafted XML payload. An authenticated user with permission to create or modify workflows could exploit this to pollute the JavaScript object prototype and, by chaining the pollution with the Git node's SSH operations, achieve remote code execution on the n8n host. This issue has been patched in versions 1.123.32, 2.17.4, and 2.18.1.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | n8n | all versions | 1.123.32 |
| 📦npm | n8n | ≥ 2.18.0&&< 2.18.1 | 2.18.1 |
| 📦npm | n8n | ≥ 2.17.0&&< 2.17.4 | 2.17.4 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for n8n. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update n8n to 1.123.32 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-42231 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2026-42231 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2026-42231. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-42231 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2026-42231 across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.