n8n: Prototype Pollution in XML Webhook Body Parser Leads to RCE

MITRE NVD CVE.ORG JSON API Print: PDF PDF

Summary

CVECVE-2026-42231
StatePUBLISHED
AssignerGitHub_M
Source PriorityCVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback
Published2026-05-04 19:16:05 UTC
Updated2026-05-06 17:14:03 UTC
Descriptionn8n is an open source workflow automation platform. Prior to versions 1.123.32, 2.17.4, and 2.18.1, a flaw in the xml2js library used to parse XML request bodies in n8n's webhook handler allowed prototype pollution via a crafted XML payload. An authenticated user with permission to create or modify workflows could exploit this to pollute the JavaScript object prototype and, by chaining the pollution with the Git node's SSH operations, achieve remote code execution on the n8n host. This issue has been patched in versions 1.123.32, 2.17.4, and 2.18.1.

Risk And Classification

Primary CVSS: v4.0 9.4 CRITICAL from [email protected]

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/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

EPSS: 0.004760000 probability, percentile 0.649250000 (date 2026-05-05)

Problem Types: CWE-1321 | CWE-1321 CWE-1321: Improperly Controlled Modification of Object Prototype Attributes ('Prototype Pollution')

VersionSourceTypeScoreSeverityVector
4.0[email protected]Secondary9.4CRITICALCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/C...
4.0CNADECLARED9.4CRITICALCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
3.1[email protected]Primary8.8HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS v4.0 Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Requirements
None
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Sub Conf.
High
Sub Integrity
High
Sub Availability
High

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/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 v3.1 Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

NVD Known Affected Configurations (CPE 2.3)

TypeVendorProductVersionUpdateEditionLanguage
Application N8n N8n All All All All

Vendor Declared Affected Products

SourceVendorProductVersionPlatforms
CNA N8n-io N8n affected < 1.123.32 Not specified
CNA N8n-io N8n affected >= 2.17.0, < 2.17.4 Not specified
CNA N8n-io N8n affected >= 2.18.0, < 2.18.1 Not specified

References

ReferenceSourceLinkTags
github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories/GHSA-q5f4-99jv-pgg5 [email protected] github.com Vendor Advisory
CVE Program record CVE.ORG www.cve.org canonical
NVD vulnerability detail NVD nvd.nist.gov canonical, analysis
© CVE.report 2026 |

Use of this information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are NO warranties, implied or otherwise, with regard to this information or its use. Any use of this information is at the user's risk. It is the responsibility of user to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content. EACH USER WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY consequences of his or her direct or indirect use of this web site. ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND ARE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED. This site will NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT or any other kind of loss.

CVE, CWE, and OVAL are registred trademarks of The MITRE Corporation and the authoritative source of CVE content is MITRE's CVE web site. This site includes MITRE data granted under the following license.

Free CVE JSON API cve.report/api

CVE.report and Source URL Uptime Status status.cve.report