CVE-2026-25053: 
NixOS vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2026-25053 is a critical OS Command Injection vulnerability in the Git node of n8n, an open-source workflow automation platform. Authenticated users with permission to create or modify workflows can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary system commands or read arbitrary files on the n8n host. The vulnerability affects all n8n versions prior to 1.123.10 (1.x branch) and versions 2.0.0 through 2.4.x (2.x branch). It was published on February 4, 2026, with patches released the same day. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 9.4 (Critical) and the CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.9 (Critical) (Github Advisory, n8n Advisory).

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands (CWE-78) within n8n's Git node implementation. The Git node fails to adequately sanitize user-supplied input before passing it to underlying OS-level git commands, allowing an attacker to inject shell metacharacters or additional commands. Exploitation requires only low privileges (workflow creation or modification permissions) and no user interaction, and the scope is changed — meaning a successful exploit can impact systems beyond the vulnerable n8n instance itself. A public proof-of-concept exploit and a detailed technical breakdown are available (Github Advisory, PoC, Technical Write-up).

Successful exploitation allows an authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary OS commands with the privileges of the n8n process, potentially leading to complete host compromise. This enables full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact on both the vulnerable n8n system and subsequent systems reachable from the host — including data exfiltration, unauthorized file reads, lateral movement within the network, and system resource manipulation. The changed scope means that even systems not directly running n8n may be affected if the n8n host has network access to internal resources (n8n Advisory, Field Effect).

A public proof-of-concept exploit is available on GitHub (PoC), published approximately March 2, 2026. As of the latest available data, there is no confirmed evidence of in-the-wild exploitation, though sightings have been recorded in threat intelligence databases (gcve.eu). The vulnerability is detectable by Qualys (detection ID 5007417) and Nessus (detection ID 298980). The EPSS score is approximately 0.031% (9th percentile), indicating a currently low but non-negligible exploitation probability. The CVE is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog at this time (Github Advisory, Field Effect).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify internet-facing or internally accessible n8n instances running versions prior to 1.123.10 (1.x) or 2.5.0 (2.x) using tools like Shodan, Censys, or internal network scanning.
2. Obtain authenticated access: Log in to the n8n instance with any account that has workflow creation or modification permissions (low-privilege access is sufficient).
3. Create or modify a workflow with a Git node: Navigate to the workflow editor and add or edit a Git node, which is the vulnerable component.
4. Inject malicious OS command payload: Supply a crafted input in a Git node parameter (e.g., repository URL, branch name, or other user-controlled field) that includes shell metacharacters or command separators (e.g., ; id, $(whoami), or backtick-enclosed commands) to break out of the intended git command context.
5. Execute the workflow: Trigger the workflow execution, causing n8n to pass the unsanitized input to the underlying OS, resulting in arbitrary command execution with the privileges of the n8n process.
6. Achieve post-exploitation objectives: Use the command execution to establish a reverse shell, exfiltrate sensitive files, read credentials, or pivot to other internal systems (n8n Advisory, PoC, Technical Write-up).

• Logs: n8n execution logs showing Git node executions with unusual or unexpected parameter values containing shell metacharacters (;, |, $(), backticks); OS-level process logs showing git commands spawning unexpected child processes.
• Process: Unexpected child processes spawned by the n8n Node.js process (e.g., /bin/bash, sh, curl, wget, python, nc) that are not typical for normal git operations.
• Network: Outbound connections from the n8n host to unknown external IP addresses or C2 infrastructure, particularly on non-standard ports; DNS lookups for unfamiliar domains initiated by the n8n process.
• File System: Unexpected new files or scripts written to the n8n installation directory or temp directories; new cron jobs, systemd services, or scheduled tasks created by the n8n service account; unauthorized SSH keys added to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys.
• Authentication: Unusual workflow creation or modification activity by low-privilege accounts, especially involving Git nodes with atypical repository URLs or branch names (n8n Advisory, Field Effect).

Upgrade n8n to version 1.123.10 or later (for the 1.x branch) or 2.5.0 or later (for the 2.x branch) to fully remediate the vulnerability. If immediate upgrading is not possible, the following temporary mitigations are recommended by the vendor:

• Limit workflow creation and editing permissions to fully trusted users only.
• Restrict or disable access to the Git node using n8n's node-blocking feature.
• Deploy n8n in a hardened environment with restricted OS privileges and limited network access to reduce lateral movement risk.

These workarounds do not fully eliminate the risk and should only be used as short-term measures until patching is complete (n8n Advisory, Github Advisory).

The vulnerability received notable coverage from multiple security outlets, with CSO Online reporting on it as part of a broader set of six vulnerabilities found in the n8n platform (CSO Online). The Belgian Centre for Cybersecurity (CCB) issued a warning about multiple critical vulnerabilities in n8n (CCB Advisory). The n8n community forum also discussed a security advisory from the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), indicating government-level concern (n8n Community). Field Effect and SecurityOnline.info highlighted the availability of a PoC exploit and the triple-threat nature of the n8n RCE flaws disclosed around the same time (Field Effect, SecurityOnline).