Self-hosted n8n has Legacy Code node that enables arbitrary file read/writeGHSA-j4p8-h8mh-rh8q
HIGHGHSA-j4p8-h8mh-rh8q is a high-severity (CVSS 7.1) Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in n8n. A fix is available for n8n — see the affected versions and patch details below.
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 GHSA-j4p8-h8mh-rh8q.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
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
Impact
In self-hosted n8n instances where the Code node runs in legacy (non-task-runner) JavaScript execution mode, authenticated users with workflow editing access can invoke internal helper functions from within the Code node.
This allows a workflow editor to perform actions on the n8n host with the same privileges as the n8n process, including:
- Reading files from the host filesystem (subject to any file-access restrictions configured on the instance and OS/container permissions)
- Writing files to the host filesystem (subject to the same restrictions)
Starting with n8n version 1.2.1, access to files in the n8n home directory (.n8n) is blocked by default. However, this does not restrict access to other parts of the filesystem unless additional file access limitations are configured.
Patches
- Upgrade to n8n version 2.0.0 or later, where task runners are enabled by default for Code node execution.
- On n8n version 1.71.0 and above, enable task runners by setting
N8N_RUNNERS_ENABLED=true.
Workarounds
If you cannot immediately migrate to task runners:
- Limit file operations by setting
N8N_RESTRICT_FILE_ACCESS_TOto a dedicated directory (e.g.,~/.n8n-files) and ensure it contains no sensitive data. - Keep
N8N_BLOCK_FILE_ACCESS_TO_N8N_FILES=true(default) to block access to.n8nand user-defined config files. - If workflow editors are not fully trusted, consider disabling high-risk nodes (including the Code node) using
NODES_EXCLUDE.
Resources
- n8n Docs: Task runners
- n8n Docs: Task runner environment variables
- n8n Docs: Security environment variables
- n8n Docs: v2.0 breaking changes
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | n8n | ≥ 1.2.1&&< 2.0.0 | 2.0.0npm install n8n@2.0.0 |
Affected Products
n8nn8nDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
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 2.0.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-j4p8-h8mh-rh8q is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Close the privilege gap rather than the entry point: audit which accounts, roles and service identities can reach the affected operation, drop the component to the least privilege it actually needs, and review file and directory permissions created by earlier installs — a default left in place is what makes this reachable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-j4p8-h8mh-rh8q in your dependencies?
Find it across npm, including transitive dependencies.