# CVE-2026-85166: n8n before 2.36.2 Credential Exfiltration via Workflow Tool Node

> Attackers can exfiltrate credentials by referencing unauthorized secrets in inline workflows, affecting n8n users.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 29 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4qfv-x7mh-xjhv, GHSA-4r56-g65c-fm83, MINI-xc7r-xvpv-9j27

## What is CVE-2026-85166?

CVE-2026-85166 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in N8n N8n, published on 3 Sep 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

n8n before 2.35.4 and 2.36.x before 2.36.2 does not validate credential references in the inline workflow JSON of nodes that execute an inline sub-workflow (e.g., the Workflow Tool node). A shared-workflow editor, or any user creating/updating a workflow via the REST API, Public API, or MCP, can persist a node referencing a credential they do not own. When the workflow is later executed under an identity that holds the credential, the inline sub-workflow resolves the secret and can send it to an attacker-controlled endpoint, resulting in credential exfiltration.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-85166?

It affects 1 product.


Products: N8n N8n.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-85166?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-85166 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-85166 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in N8n N8n

- [CVE-2025-68613](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68613/): n8n Improper Control of Dynamically-Managed Code Resources (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-21877](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21877/): n8n is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via Arbitrary File Write (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-21858](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-21858/): n8n Vulnerable to Unauthenticated File Access via Improper Webhook Request Handling (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-1470](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1470/): n8n Unsafe Workflow Expression Evaluation Allows Remote Code Execution (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2025-68668](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68668/): n8n Vulnerable to Arbitrary Command Execution in Pyodide based Python Code Node (critical 9.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-85166 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-85166 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in N8n N8n, published on 3 Sep 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-85166 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: N8n N8n. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85166/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85166/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-85166
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-85166
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-85166

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85166/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.