n8n: Privilege Escalation and Code Execution via Full Public API Key Scope Assignment to Token Exchange JWTs

## Impact JWTs issued through the Token Exchange module were assigned all Public API key scopes, regardless of the acting user's actual role. A low-privileged user who could obtain a valid external JWT trusted by a configured issuer could therefore use the resulting access token to invoke administrator-only Public API operations, such as role escalation, user creation, and user deletion. The issue only affects instances where the Token Exchange feature and the Public API are enabled (N8N_TOKEN_EXCHANGE_ENABLED=true, N8N_ENV_FEAT_TOKEN_EXCHANGE=true) and the attacker can obtain an external JWT accepted by a configured trusted key. Role escalation additionally requires an Advanced Permissions license; Community Package installation additionally requires `N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ENABLED=true` and `N8N_UNVERIFIED_PACKAGES_ENABLED=true`. ## Patches The issue has been fixed in n8n version 2.30.1 and 2.29.8. Users should upgrade to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability. ## Workarounds If upgrading is not immediately possible, administrators should consider the following temporary mitigations: - Disable the Token Exchange feature by setting `N8N_TOKEN_EXCHANGE_ENABLED=false` or `N8N_ENV_FEAT_TOKEN_EXCHANGE=false`. - If Token Exchange cannot be disabled, restrict Public API access at the network level to trusted clients only. - Disable unverified Community Package installation by setting `N8N_UNVERIFIED_PACKAGES_ENABLED=false` to eliminate the code execution path. These workarounds do not fully remediate the risk and should only be used as short-term mitigation measures.

Source published

22 Jul 2026 22:00:07 UTC

Source modified

22 Jul 2026 22:26:48 UTC

Observed here

24 Oct 2026 13:17:17 UTC

Source terms

GitHub Advisory Database · CC-BY-4.0

Original source record · Cite this exact observation · Complete original publisher JSON

This view projects the publisher's source fields for reading; the original JSON retains additional fields and CVE enrichment containers. Attribution: osv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC-BY-4.0. Source text is retained; field grouping and change labels are provided by ChangeIntel.

CVSS_V4 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:L/SA:L

Publisher rating · HIGH