GHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw: n8n: Path-Confinement Bypass in computer-use search_files Allows Reading Files Outside the Base Directory
Summary
A security flaw in n8n's computer-use component allowed attackers to bypass path confinement (a security boundary that restricts file searches to a specific directory) by using specially crafted search patterns, potentially exposing file names and contents from anywhere on the system. This affected any deployment where an attacker could control the search input to the file-search tool.
Solution / Mitigation
The issue has been fixed in n8n versions 2.31.5 and 2.32.1. Users should upgrade to one of these versions or later. If immediate upgrading is not possible, the source mentions temporary workarounds: restrict n8n access to fully trusted users only, disable or remove AI agent workflows using the computer-use package until patching, and ensure the n8n process runs under a dedicated low-privilege user account (a restricted account with minimal permissions) to limit accessible files. The source notes these workarounds do not fully fix the risk and should only be short-term measures.
Classification
Affected Vendors
Affected Packages
Related Issues
Original source: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-pf2q-pxhf-hgmw
First tracked: July 22, 2026 at 08:01 PM
Classified by LLM (prompt v3) · confidence: 85%