CVE Intelligence
Critical Input validation exploit reference

CVE-2026-21858 — n8n Vulnerable to Unauthenticated File Access via Improper Webhook Request Handling

n8n is an open source workflow automation platform. Versions starting with 1.65.0 and below 1.121.0 enable an attacker to access files on the underlying server through execution of certain form-based workflows. A vulnerable workflow could grant access to an unauthenticated remote attacker, resulting in exposure of sensitive information stored on the system and may enable further compromise depending on deployment configuration and workflow usage. This issue is fixed in version 1.121.0.

Published Jan 7, 2026 · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP · CNA: GitHub_M

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

Detection templates (Nuclei) · 1
How the score was calculated
  • Public exploit/PoC (nuclei)+4
  • EPSS 78.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
  • Technical severity (critical)+10
  • Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
78.19%
ahead of 100% of scored CVEs · Oct 14, 2026
Affects
N8n
N8n
CVSS base
10.0
Critical · 2 source(s)

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation
None
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
Yes
can an attacker script the kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Total
partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

  1. Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (N8n N8n, N8n-io N8n).
  2. The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
  3. No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
  4. EPSS ahead of 100% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
  5. Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (input validation), errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatusSource
N8n N8n ≥ 1.65.0 and < 1.121.0 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
N8n-io N8n version >= 1.65.0, < 1.121.0 Vulnerable CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactScored by
10.0 CVSS 3.1 Critical 3.9 5.8 security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database
10.0 CVSS 3.1 Critical — — GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N (score shown at the top: security-advisories@github.com)

Weakness MITRE

Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.

CWE-20 · Improper Input Validation

Other CVEs with this weakness →

Public exploits, PoCs and detection templates

Public code that demonstrates or tests the flaw raises the odds of mass exploitation — and Nuclei templates help find vulnerable assets in your environment.

Detection templates (Nuclei)

Warning: public PoCs are sometimes disguised malware. Use them only for authorized testing in an isolated environment. This portal does not host exploit code — it only points to the sources.

EPSS over time FIRST

Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 78.19%

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

  • 2026
  • Affected products added · n8n-io/n8n
    Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • SSVC assessment updated
    Oct 13, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Record published
    Oct 13, 2026
  • CVSS changed · 10.0
    Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Source status changed · → Analyzed
    Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record created in this database
    Oct 13, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • CVE published
    Jan 7, 2026 · GitHub_M

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

  • 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026

References

2 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

N8n
every CVE for this vendor
Input validation
same class
CWE-20
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

  • CVE-2026-110853 n8n before 1.123.83 Authorization Bypass via Execute Sub-workflow Inline JSON 23h
  • CVE-2026-110851 n8n before 2.41.4 and 2.42.1 Cross-Project Agent Ownership Transfer via Agents Create Endpoint 23h
  • CVE-2026-110852 n8n before 1.123.83, 2.41.4, and 2.42.1 Unauthenticated Workflow Execution via Dynamic-Path Webhook Resolution 23h
  • CVE-2026-110846 n8n before 2.41.4 and 2.42.1 Send-and-Wait HMAC Signature Bypass via Waiting-Webhook 23h
  • CVE-2026-110847 n8n before 1.123.83, 2.41.4, and 2.42.1 Stored XSS via Chat Trigger customCss Parameter 23h
  • CVE-2026-110845 n8n before 1.123.83, 2.41.4, and 2.42.1 Code Execution via Git Node Log Operation 23h

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-21858 is "n8n Vulnerable to Unauthenticated File Access via Improper Webhook Request Handling", rated Critical. It affects N8n (N8n); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 10.0 describes technical severity. EPSS 78.19% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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