CVE-2026-72773 n8n before 2.32.1 Path Traversal via computer-use search_files

Medium 4.9 Published 11 Aug 2026 Updated 29 Oct 2026

Attackers can bypass directory restrictions in the computer-use search_files tool to read arbitrary local files on the server.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Any signed-in user
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2026-72773?

CVE-2026-72773 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in N8n N8n, published on 11 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-22

Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-72773?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including n8n. It affects 1 product.

Package	Affected	Fixed in
`n8n` npm	All versions	`2.31.5`
`n8n` npm	All versions	`2.31.5`
`n8n` npm	From `2.32.0`	`2.32.1`
`n8n` npm	From `2.32.0`	`2.32.1`

Products include N8n N8n.

How do I fix CVE-2026-72773?

Upgrade n8n to a fixed version for your release line: 2.31.5 or 2.32.1.

Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.

Is CVE-2026-72773 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-72773 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All N8n N8n vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as GHSA-cgh8-xfc3-8rm5, GHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw, MINI-hvjc-c7jh-3jc9, MINI-q936-g845-j3gh.