CVE-2026-72773
n8n before 2.32.1 Path Traversal via computer-use search_files
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
n8n before 2.32.1 Path Traversal via computer-use search_files
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-72773- CVSS 4.0
- 4.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-56099
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.
- Record
EUVD-2026-56099- CVSS 4.0
- 4.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-cgh8-xfc3-8rm5
n8n before 2.31.5 and 2.32.x before 2.32.1 contain a path-confinement bypass in the @n8n/computer...
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.
- Record
GHSA-cgh8-xfc3-8rm5- CVSS 4.0
- 4.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw
n8n: Path-Confinement Bypass in computer-use search_files Allows Reading Files Outside the Base Directory
Impact
The component @n8n/computer-use file-search tool confined searches to a configured base directory. A crafted search pattern could bypass the confinement check and expand to locations outside that directory, causing the tool to return the names and contents of files anywhere the daemon's OS user could read. Any deployment where an actor could influence the tool's search input was affected; the result was disclosure of arbitrary local files outside the intended sandbox.
Patches
The issue has been fixed in n8n versions 2.31.5 and 2.32.1. 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.
- Disable or remove AI agent workflows that use the
computer-usepackage until the instance is patched. - Ensure the n8n process runs under a dedicated low-privilege user account to limit the files accessible outside the sandbox.
These workarounds do not fully remediate the risk and should only be used as short-term mitigation measures.
- Record
GHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw- CVSS 4.0
- 4.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-72773- CVSS 4.0
- 4.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
n8n before 2.32.1 Path Traversal via computer-use search_files
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-72773- CVSS 4.0
- 4.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw
n8n: Path-Confinement Bypass in computer-use search_files Allows Reading Files Outside the Base Directory
Impact
The component @n8n/computer-use file-search tool confined searches to a configured base directory. A crafted search pattern could bypass the confinement check and expand to locations outside that directory, causing the tool to return the names and contents of files anywhere the daemon's OS user could read. Any deployment where an actor could influence the tool's search input was affected; the result was disclosure of arbitrary local files outside the intended sandbox.
Patches
The issue has been fixed in n8n versions 2.31.5 and 2.32.1. 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.
- Disable or remove AI agent workflows that use the
computer-usepackage until the instance is patched. - Ensure the n8n process runs under a dedicated low-privilege user account to limit the files accessible outside the sandbox.
These workarounds do not fully remediate the risk and should only be used as short-term mitigation measures.
- Record
GHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw- CVSS 4.0
- 4.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-72773 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.9) in N8n, published July 22, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.57%, the 47th percentile. Fixed in n8n 2.32.1.
References
github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories/GHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw
vulncheck.com/advisories/n8n-before-path-traversal-via-computer-use-search-files
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-72773