The recent discovery of a critical vulnerability in n8n, an open-source workflow automation platform, poses significant risks to organizations utilizing this technology. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-68613, affects versions starting from 0.211.0 and prior to 1.120.4, 1.121.1, and 1.122.0. With a CVSS score of 9.9, it is categorized as critical due to the potential for Remote Code Execution (RCE).
Risk to organizations includes the ability for authenticated users to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to full compromise of the affected instance. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of workflows, and execution of system-level operations, emphasizing the urgency for defenders to act.
Given the exploitability of this vulnerability, organizations are strongly advised to prioritize patching immediately. The issue has been addressed in newer versions of n8n, which introduce safeguards to restrict expression evaluation.
In situations where upgrading is not feasible, temporary mitigations should be considered, such as limiting workflow creation and editing permissions to fully trusted users and deploying n8n in a hardened environment to reduce the impact of potential exploitation.
This vulnerability underscores the necessity for organizations to regularly evaluate their security posture and implement robust access controls to safeguard their systems.
Vulnerability Details
CVE-2025-68613 is classified as a critical Remote Code Execution vulnerability in n8n's workflow expression evaluation system. Under certain conditions, expressions supplied by authenticated users may be executed in a context insufficiently isolated from the underlying runtime. An authenticated attacker could exploit this behavior to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the n8n process.
The vulnerability was discovered in versions 0.211.0 through 1.120.4 and has been resolved in versions 1.120.4, 1.121.1, and 1.122.0. The CWE classification for this vulnerability is CWE-913.
Organizations using affected versions are urged to upgrade to the latest patched versions to benefit from additional safeguards that restrict expression evaluation.
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability allows for Remote Code Execution due to insufficient isolation of execution contexts during workflow configuration. The attack vector is network-based, requiring low attack complexity and low privileges, with no user interaction needed. The potential impacts include high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world risk associated with CVE-2025-68613 is substantial, as successful exploitation could lead to a complete takeover of the n8n instance. Organizations utilizing n8n for critical workflows are particularly vulnerable, given the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive data and disruption of services.
With a CVSS score of 9.9, this vulnerability should be treated with the utmost urgency. Organizations must assess their exposure and implement necessary patches or mitigations as soon as possible to prevent exploitation.
The urgency for remediation is critical, and organizations should prioritize this vulnerability in their patch management cycles.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | Yes |
Public PoC | Yes |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected versions of n8n include all versions starting from 0.211.0 and prior to 1.120.4, 1.121.1, and 1.122.0. Users are encouraged to upgrade to the latest versions to mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations must implement the following measures to mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2025-68613: upgrade to the patched versions 1.120.4, 1.121.1, or 1.122.0. If immediate upgrading is not possible, limit workflow creation and editing permissions to fully trusted users, and deploy n8n in a hardened environment with restricted operating system privileges.
For further guidance on securing applications, organizations may consider implementing application security assessments to identify weaknesses in their deployment.
Detection Guidance
Monitoring for signs of exploitation is crucial. Organizations should track log indicators related to unauthorized access attempts and monitor for behavioral anomalies within the workflow configurations.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-68613 is notable as it highlights the importance of security within workflow automation platforms. Organizations employing such technologies must prioritize security measures and consider regular assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities.
This vulnerability reflects a broader trend in the security landscape, where automation tools are increasingly targeted. Security teams should leverage this incident as a learning opportunity, emphasizing the need for proactive security measures.
For ongoing security improvements, organizations are encouraged to engage in penetration testing to ensure their defenses remain robust against evolving threats.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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