CVE-2026-72773
CVE-2026-72773 is a Path Traversal vulnerability in n8n. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2026-72773 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
n8n before 2.32.1 Path Traversal via computer-use search_files
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2026-72773.
Real-World Exposure
How broadly this vulnerability is actually deployed: weekly install volume shows current usage, and reverse-dependency count shows how many other packages break if it stays unpatched.
n8nnpmDescription
n8n before 2.31.5 and 2.32.x before 2.32.1 contain a path-confinement bypass in the @n8n/computer-use file-search (search_files) tool. A crafted search pattern can bypass the base-directory confinement check and expand to locations outside the configured directory, causing the tool to return the names and contents of arbitrary local files readable by the daemon's OS user. Any deployment where an actor can influence the tool's search input is affected.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | n8n | ≥ 2.32.0&&< 2.32.1 | 2.32.1 |
| 📦npm | n8n | all versions | 2.31.5 |
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 2.32.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-72773 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-2026-72773 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-2026-72773. 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-2026-72773 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2026-72773 across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.