How severe is CVE-2026-86996?

No CVSS score has been assigned to CVE-2026-86996 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2026-86996?

CVE-2026-86996 affects the following packages: n8n (npm), n8n (npm). Ecosystems affected: npm.

How do I fix CVE-2026-86996?

Update n8n to 2.38.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-86996 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2026-86996 in my npm dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for n8n, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate CVE-2026-86996 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used.

Is CVE-2026-86996 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for CVE-2026-86996 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2026-86996?

CVE-2026-86996 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 0.3%, placing it in the 21th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-86996?

CVE-2026-86996 is classified as CWE-862 (CWE-862). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2026-86996 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2026-86996 was published on September 8, 2026 and was last updated on October 21, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

📦 npm

Not in CISA KEV

CVE-2026-86996 — n8n

CVE-2026-86996 is a CWE-862 vulnerability in n8n. A fix is available for n8n — see the affected versions and patch details below.

n8n: Agent Workflow Tool Bypasses Sub-Workflow Caller Policy

Also known asGHSA-7hgx-277f-7vmg

Published

Sep 8, 2026

Updated

Oct 21, 2026

Affected

2 pkgs

Patched

2 / 2

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Oct 19, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Exploitation Status

No confirmed exploitation observed yet

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-2026-86996.

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

0.3%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs21th percentile — riskier than 21% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

Real-World Exposure

2 pkgs affected

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.

37other npm packages depend on this — each one inherits the vulnerability until it's patched upstream

n8nnpm

85Kdownloads / week

Description

Impact

A workflow's "This workflow can be called by" setting was enforced by the Execute Workflow node but was not consulted when the same workflow was attached to an Agent as a tool. A user who could build an Agent could therefore call a workflow that its owner had restricted, and read back what it returned. The patch applies the sub-workflow caller policy on the Agent tool path.

Patches

The issue has been fixed in n8n versions 2.37.7 and 2.38.2. Users should upgrade to one of these versions or later to remediate the vulnerability.

Workarounds

If upgrading is not immediately possible, administrators should consider the following temporary mitigations:

Restrict n8n instance access to fully trusted users only.
Audit workflows attached as Agent tools and review their caller policy settings.
Remove sensitive workflows from Agent tool configurations until the instance is patched.

These workarounds do not fully remediate the risk and should only be used as short-term mitigation measures.

Affected Packages

2 total 2 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
📦npm	`n8n`	≥ 2.38.0&&< 2.38.2	2.38.2`npm install n8n@2.38.2`
📦npm	`n8n`	all versions	2.37.7`npm install n8n@2.37.7`

Affected Products

1 product · 2 configurations

Application

n8nn8n

≥ 2.38.0 && < 2.38.2

range

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for n8n, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update n8n to 2.38.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2026-86996 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used.

Frequently Asked Questions

## Impact A workflow's "_This workflow can be called by_" setting was enforced by the Execute Workflow node but was not consulted when the same workflow was attached to an Agent as a tool. A user who could build an Agent could therefore call a workflow that its owner had restricted, and read back what it returned. The patch applies the sub-workflow caller policy on the Agent tool path. ## Patches The issue has been fixed in n8n versions 2.37.7 and 2.38.2. Users should upgrade to one of these versions or later to remediate the vulnerability. ## Workarounds If upgrading is not immediately p

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CVE-2026-86996 — n8n

Exploitation Status

No confirmed exploitation observed yet

EPSS Exploitation Probability

Real-World Exposure

Description

Impact

Patches

Workarounds

Affected Packages

Affected Products

Detection & mitigation playbook

Detect

Fix

Workarounds

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CVE-2026-86996 in your dependencies?