---
id: CVE-2026-65595
aliases:
  - GHSA-777w-rpr6-c52h
title: >-
  n8n: Privilege Escalation and Code Execution via Full Public API Key Scope
  Assignment to Token Exchange JWTs
summary: >-
  n8n: Privilege Escalation and Code Execution via Full Public API Key Scope
  Assignment to Token Exchange JWTs
severity: high
cwe:
  - CWE-269
vendor: n8n
product: n8n
ecosystem: npm
affected:
  - 'n8n >= 2.30.0, < 2.30.1'
  - n8n < 2.29.8
patched:
  - n8n 2.30.1
  - n8n 2.29.8
published: '2026-07-22'
updated: '2026-07-22'
source: GHSA
sourceUrl: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-777w-rpr6-c52h'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories/GHSA-777w-rpr6-c52h'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-65595'
  - url: 'https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/releases/tag/n8n@2.29.8'
  - url: 'https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/releases/tag/n8n@2.30.1'
  - url: >-
      https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/n8n-before-privilege-escalation-via-token-exchange
  - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-777w-rpr6-c52h'
tags:
  - ghsa
  - npm
ingestedAt: '2026-07-22T22:06:57.450Z'
epss: 0.0048
epssPercentile: 0.40566
---

## Overview

## 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.

## Affected packages

- `n8n >= 2.30.0, < 2.30.1`
- `n8n < 2.29.8`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `n8n 2.30.1`
- `n8n 2.29.8`