CVE-2026-56353: N8n Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-56353 Overview

CVE-2026-56353 is an authentication bypass vulnerability in the n8n workflow automation platform. The flaw affects the Chat Trigger node when configured with n8n User Auth, a non-default authentication mode. Attackers can circumvent the authentication check on the Chat Trigger webhook endpoint and access it without valid credentials. The issue is classified under [CWE-287] Improper Authentication.

Affected releases include versions before 1.123.22, the 2.0.0 through 2.9.2 line, and 2.10.0. Fixes are available in 1.123.22, 2.9.3, and 2.10.1.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated network attackers can reach protected Chat Trigger webhook endpoints, exposing chat workflow functionality intended only for authenticated users.

Affected Products

n8n versions prior to 1.123.22
n8n versions 2.0.0 through 2.9.2
n8n version 2.10.0 (community and enterprise editions)

Discovery Timeline

2026-07-15 - CVE-2026-56353 published to NVD
2026-07-16 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-56353

Vulnerability Analysis

n8n is a workflow automation platform that supports webhook-driven triggers, including a Chat Trigger node used to receive chat messages from external clients. When operators enable n8n User Auth on a Chat Trigger webhook, requests should be validated against the configured user credentials before workflow execution.

The authentication check on the Chat Trigger webhook endpoint can be bypassed. A remote attacker who reaches the webhook URL over the network can invoke it without presenting valid credentials. This exposes chat workflow logic that operators explicitly gated behind authentication.

Because n8n workflows frequently integrate with downstream services, connectors, and language models, an unauthenticated caller may trigger side effects the workflow performs on their behalf.

Root Cause

The root cause is an improper authentication implementation ([CWE-287]) in the Chat Trigger webhook handler. The authentication guard fails to enforce credential validation for the n8n User Auth path, allowing requests to reach the workflow execution stage without verification. The default configuration is not affected; only deployments that opted into n8n User Auth on the Chat Trigger node are vulnerable.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the exposed Chat Trigger webhook URL and knowledge of the endpoint path. No credentials, user interaction, or privileges are required. The attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to the Chat Trigger webhook, and the vulnerable authentication check returns success without validating the caller. The workflow then executes as if a legitimate authenticated user submitted the request.

Refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-jh8h-6c9q-7gmw and the VulnCheck Advisory for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-56353

Indicators of Compromise

Requests to Chat Trigger webhook paths (typically under /webhook/ or /webhook-test/) originating from unexpected external IP addresses.
Workflow execution logs showing Chat Trigger invocations without a corresponding authenticated user context.
Unusual bursts of chat workflow executions outside normal business hours or from non-approved geographies.

Detection Strategies

Review n8n execution history for Chat Trigger workflows and correlate execution timestamps with reverse-proxy or ingress access logs.
Compare the running n8n version against the fixed releases 1.123.22, 2.9.3, and 2.10.1 to identify affected instances.
Audit workflow configurations to enumerate Chat Trigger nodes that use n8n User Auth, then verify whether requests to those endpoints carry valid credentials.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable structured logging on the reverse proxy fronting n8n and forward Chat Trigger webhook access logs to a centralized log platform.
Alert on HTTP 200 responses to Chat Trigger endpoints where the request lacks an Authorization header or session cookie.
Track outbound calls from n8n workflows triggered by Chat Trigger nodes to detect abuse of downstream integrations.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-56353

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade n8n to 1.123.22, 2.9.3, or 2.10.1 depending on the deployed release line.
Inventory all Chat Trigger nodes configured with n8n User Auth and rotate any secrets, API keys, or tokens used by downstream integrations invoked by those workflows.
Restrict network exposure of the n8n instance to trusted networks or place it behind an authenticating reverse proxy until patched.

Patch Information

The n8n maintainers released fixes in versions 1.123.22, 2.9.3, and 2.10.1. Full remediation details are published in the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-jh8h-6c9q-7gmw. Operators running self-hosted deployments should update container images or npm packages and restart the n8n service to load the patched code.

Workarounds

Temporarily disable Chat Trigger nodes that rely on n8n User Auth until the upgrade is applied.
Enforce authentication at the reverse-proxy layer (for example, using an OAuth2 proxy or mTLS) so that unauthenticated requests never reach the n8n webhook endpoint.
Apply IP allow-listing on the ingress controller to limit Chat Trigger webhook access to known chat client sources.

bash

# Example: upgrade a self-hosted n8n Docker deployment to a fixed version
docker pull n8nio/n8n:1.123.22
docker stop n8n && docker rm n8n
docker run -d --name n8n \
  -p 5678:5678 \
  -v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n \
  n8nio/n8n:1.123.22

# Verify the running version
docker exec n8n n8n --version