CVE-2026-72769
Received Received - Intake

Prototype Pollution in n8n VM Expression Engine

Publication date: 2026-08-11

Last updated on: 2026-08-11

Assigner: VulnCheck

Description
n8n before 1.123.67, 2.31.5, and 2.32.1 contains a prototype pollution vulnerability in the VM expression engine. An authenticated user able to create or edit a workflow expression can abuse the engine's array-element access to obtain a reference to a host built-in and pollute its prototype in the main n8n process (a sandbox escape), leading to a denial of service. Both self-hosted and cloud instances running the VM expression engine are affected.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-11
Last Modified
2026-08-11
Generated
2026-08-11
AI Q&A
2026-08-11
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-72769
EUVD
EUVD-2026-56095

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
n8n n8n to 1.123.67 (exc)
n8n n8n 2.31.5
n8n n8n 2.32.1
n8n n8n to 2.31.5 (exc)
n8n n8n to 2.32.1 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-1321 The product receives input from an upstream component that specifies attributes that are to be initialized or updated in an object, but it does not properly control modifications of attributes of the object prototype.

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

CVE-2026-72769 is a prototype pollution vulnerability in n8n, an open-source workflow automation tool. It affects the VM expression engine, allowing authenticated users who can create or edit workflow expressions to exploit array-element access. This enables them to obtain references to host built-in objects and pollute their prototypes in the main n8n process, leading to a sandbox escape and denial of service.

Detection Guidance

Check the n8n version installed on your system. If it is below 1.123.67, 2.31.5, or 2.32.1, the system is vulnerable. Run commands like 'n8n --version' or check the package manager for installed versions.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can lead to a denial of service, causing the n8n system to crash. Attackers with workflow editing privileges could exploit it to escape the sandbox environment, potentially gaining unauthorized access or control over the system. Both self-hosted and cloud instances using the VM expression engine are affected.

Mitigation Strategies
  • Upgrade n8n to version 1.123.67, 2.31.5, or 2.32.1 or later to patch the vulnerability.
  • Restrict access to trusted users only, limiting workflow editing privileges to authorized personnel.
  • Disable the VM expression engine if an alternative is available to prevent exploitation.

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