n8n is an open source workflow automation platform. Prior to version 2.0.0, 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), and writing files to the host filesystem (subject to the same restrictions). This issue has been patched in version 2.0.0. Workarounds for this issue involve limiting file operations by setting N8N_RESTRICT_FILE_ACCESS_TO to a dedicated directory (e.g., ~/.n8n-files) and ensure it contains no sensitive data, keeping N8N_BLOCK_FILE_ACCESS_TO_N8N_FILES=true (default) to block access to .n8n and user-defined config files, and disabling high-risk nodes (including the Code node) using NODES_EXCLUDE if workflow editors are not fully trusted.

According to its banner, the version of n8n running on the remote host is 1.0.0 or later and before 2.0.0. It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities:

- An authenticated arbitrary file read and file write vulnerability

- An authenticated arbitrary command execution vulnerability in Pyodide based Python code node

Note that the scanner has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

There are packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability referenced in the following CVE:

  - n8n is an open source workflow automation platform. Prior to version 2.0.0, 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), and writing files to the host filesystem (subject to the same
    restrictions). This issue has been patched in version 2.0.0. Workarounds for this issue involve limiting
    file operations by setting N8N_RESTRICT_FILE_ACCESS_TO to a dedicated directory (e.g., ~/.n8n-files) and
    ensure it contains no sensitive data, keeping N8N_BLOCK_FILE_ACCESS_TO_N8N_FILES=true (default) to block
    access to .n8n and user-defined config files, and disabling high-risk nodes (including the Code node)
    using NODES_EXCLUDE if workflow editors are not fully trusted. (CVE-2025-68697)

ID	Name	Product	Family	Severity
115103	N8n < 2.0.0 Multiple Vulnerabilities	Web App Scanning	Artificial Intelligence	critical
436491	SCA: security update for n8n (GHSA-j4p8-h8mh-rh8q)	Tenable Cloud Security	SCA Checks	medium
436491	SCA: security update for n8n (GHSA-j4p8-h8mh-rh8q)	Tenable Self-Hosted Container Security	SCA Checks	medium

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2025-68697

medium

Tenable Plugins

critical

medium

medium