CVE-2026-91934: Flowise Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2026-91934 Overview

CVE-2026-91934 is a path traversal vulnerability [CWE-22] in Flowise versions before 3.1.4. The flaw exists in the SQL Database Chain node, which fails to validate file paths when connecting to SQLite databases. Authenticated attackers can supply arbitrary paths and write malicious SQLite database files to any location writable by the Flowise process.

Successful exploitation allows attackers to place files in system directories or the application's web root. This enables remote code execution, command execution through poisoned configuration files, or stored cross-site scripting (XSS) when written files are served to users.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can achieve remote code execution on Flowise servers by writing arbitrary SQLite files to sensitive filesystem locations.

Affected Products

Flowise versions prior to 3.1.4
FlowiseAI SQL Database Chain node component
Self-hosted and containerized Flowise deployments

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-15 - CVE-2026-91934 published to NVD
2026-09-16 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-91934

Vulnerability Analysis

Flowise is an open-source low-code platform for building LLM applications and agent workflows. The SQL Database Chain node accepts user-supplied connection parameters for SQLite databases, including a filesystem path where the database resides or should be created.

Before version 3.1.4, the node performs no canonicalization or allowlist validation on the supplied path. An authenticated user with permission to create or modify flows can supply an absolute path or traversal sequences such as ../../ to redirect file operations outside the intended data directory.

Because SQLite creates the database file on first connection, the vulnerable code path effectively becomes an arbitrary file write primitive. The attacker controls both the target location and, through crafted SQL and schema definitions, portions of the file contents.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing input validation on the SQLite database path parameter passed to the SQL Database Chain node. The application trusts authenticated flow authors and does not enforce a fixed data directory or reject path traversal sequences before invoking the SQLite driver.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the Flowise interface and low-privilege authenticated access to create or edit a chatflow. The attacker configures a SQL Database Chain node pointing to a target path, such as a location inside the web root or a directory containing executable scripts.

On execution, Flowise instructs SQLite to open the database, creating or overwriting the file at the attacker-chosen location. By seeding the database schema with attacker-controlled table and column names, the resulting file contains attacker-supplied bytes that can be interpreted as HTML, JavaScript, or configuration content when served or loaded by other components. Full technical detail is available in the GitHub Security Advisory and the VulnCheck Advisory on Flowise.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-91934

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected .sqlite or .db files appearing in the Flowise web root, public/, or system directories such as /etc/, /var/www/, or user home directories.
Chatflow definitions referencing SQLite database paths containing ../, absolute paths, or locations outside the configured Flowise data directory.
Flowise process file writes to paths outside its designated data volume, visible in host-level filesystem telemetry.
New or modified static assets in the Flowise web root containing SQLite header bytes (SQLite format 3\0).

Detection Strategies

Audit stored chatflow JSON for SQL Database Chain node configurations and inspect the database or connection path parameter for traversal sequences.
Monitor Flowise application logs for SQL Database Chain node executions correlated with subsequent file creation events on the host.
Deploy filesystem integrity monitoring on directories adjacent to the Flowise install to identify unauthorized file creation by the Flowise service account.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable process and file-write auditing on the Flowise host, focusing on writes performed by the Node.js process running Flowise.
Alert on any Flowise-initiated file writes outside the approved data directory or into web-served paths.
Review authentication logs for newly created accounts or unusual flow-editing activity preceding suspicious file writes.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-91934

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Flowise to version 3.1.4 or later, which enforces path validation on the SQL Database Chain node.
Rotate any secrets, API keys, or credentials stored on the Flowise host if unauthorized file writes are suspected.
Review all existing chatflows and remove SQL Database Chain nodes configured with paths outside the intended data directory.
Restrict Flowise account creation and revoke editor-level access for untrusted users until the patch is applied.

Patch Information

Flowise 3.1.4 addresses the vulnerability by validating SQLite database paths supplied to the SQL Database Chain node. Refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-pwfj-wh95-7mwp for the fix commit and release notes.

Workarounds

Run Flowise as an unprivileged user with a restrictive umask and no write access to the web root or system configuration paths.
Deploy Flowise inside a container with a read-only root filesystem, mounting only a dedicated writable volume for legitimate data storage.
Place Flowise behind an authenticating reverse proxy and limit access to trusted operators until upgrading to 3.1.4.
Disable or block use of the SQL Database Chain node through application-level policy where feasible.

bash

# Configuration example: run Flowise container with restricted filesystem access
docker run -d \
  --name flowise \
  --read-only \
  --tmpfs /tmp \
  -v /opt/flowise/data:/root/.flowise:rw \
  -u 1000:1000 \
  -p 3000:3000 \
  flowiseai/flowise:3.1.4