How severe is CVE-2026-42231?

CVE-2026-42231 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-42231 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (54th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-42231?

CVE-2026-42231 primarily affects N8n. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-42231?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

Does CVE-2026-42231 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-42231 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-27102.

When was CVE-2026-42231 published?

CVE-2026-42231 was published on 2026-05-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2026-42231

CVE-2026-42231 is a high-severity vulnerability in N8n with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-1321.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v4: 9.4
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (54th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-27102
Weakness: CWE-1321
Affected product: N8n
Published: 2026-05-04
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

n8n 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-42231?: n8n 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.
How severe is CVE-2026-42231?: CVE-2026-42231 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-42231 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (54th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-42231?: CVE-2026-42231 primarily affects N8n. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-42231?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-42231 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-42231 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-27102.
When was CVE-2026-42231 published?: CVE-2026-42231 was published on 2026-05-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories/GHSA-q5f4-99jv-pgg5

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:n8n:n8n:*:*:*:*:enterprise:node.js:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:n8n:n8n:2.18.0:*:*:*:enterprise:node.js:*:*

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