AI Sec Watch: A Security Intelligence Platform for AI Systems

Luu, T.J.

GHSA-qgpw-8g46-w95v: n8n: Git Node branch.<name>.remote Config Key Bypasses Sandbox Path Restriction, Enabling Local Git Repository Read

mediumvulnerability

security

Source: GitHub Advisory DatabaseSeptember 10, 2026CVE-2026-86995

Summary

The Git node in n8n (a workflow automation tool) had a security flaw where it didn't properly validate configuration settings when setting upstream branches, allowing authenticated users to read files from any local repository that the n8n process could access. An attacker with workflow-edit permission could bypass sandbox path restrictions (security boundaries that limit file access) and steal data from repositories they shouldn't reach.

Solution / Mitigation

The issue has been fixed in n8n versions 1.123.76, 2.37.7, and 2.38.2. Users should upgrade to one of these versions or later to remediate the vulnerability. If upgrading is not immediately possible, temporary mitigations include: restricting n8n instance access to fully trusted users only; disabling the Git node by adding `n8n-nodes-base.git` to the `NODES_EXCLUDE` environment variable; and ensuring the n8n process runs under a dedicated low-privilege OS user account to limit filesystem access. These workarounds do not fully remediate the risk and should only be used as short-term measures.