n8n: External Secrets Permission Bypass via Expression Parser Mismatch
- Product
- n8n
- CVE
- CVE-2026-59259
- Affected
- n8n < 1.123.61, >= 2.0.0-rc.0 and < 2.27.4, >= 2.28.0 and < 2.28.1
- Fixed in
- 1.123.61
Last verified against sources: October 26, 2026
Am I affected?
n8n: affected n8n < 1.123.61, >= 2.0.0-rc.0 and < 2.27.4, >= 2.28.0 and < 2.28.1. Fixed in 1.123.61.
- Check your version: run
npm ls n8n. Versions < 1.123.61 of n8n are affected. [1]
What to do now
- Upgrade to the fixed version: run
npm install n8n@1.123.61(first patched version 1.123.61). [1] - Upgrade to n8n versions 1.123.61, 2.27.4, or 2.28.1 or later. [1]
- Restrict credential creation and update permissions to fully trusted users only. [1]
- Audit existing credentials for unexpected external secret references. [1]
General practice, not from the source: if the affected software could read tokens or credentials, rotate them after upgrading; pin versions and review changes before updating tools your agents run.
What happened
- Due to a mismatch between the static validation check and the runtime expression engine, an authenticated user with credential create or update permissions, but without the externalSecret:list scope, could embed external secret references into credentials in forms the validation did not detect. [1]
Impact
- These references would resolve at workflow execution time, exposing secret values the user was not authorized to access. [1]
What was done
Sources
- GHSA-jp7m-xcgx-57qm — GitHub Advisory Database
Every statement above was checked against these sources before publishing. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it with a dated note.
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[CVE-2026-59259] n8n: External Secrets Permission Bypass via Expression Parser Mismatch
Product: n8n | Affected: n8n < 1.123.61, >= 2.0.0-rc.0 and < 2.27.4, >= 2.28.0 and < 2.28.1 | Fixed in: 1.123.61
Summary: Due to a mismatch between the static validation check and the runtime expression engine, an authenticated user with credential create or update permissions, but without the externalSecret:list scope, could embed external secret references into credentials in forms the validation did not detect.
Source & remediation on AgentArmorHQ: https://agentarmorhq.com/incidents/2026/07/cve-2026-59259-n8nCorrections
Report an error or request a correction. We review requests within 5 business days and add a dated correction note.
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