CVE-2025-61917

Workarounds

If an immediate upgrade cannot be applied, the following hardening steps are recommended:

• Disable the Code Node by adding n8n-nodes-base.code to the NODES_EXCLUDE environment variable
• Prefer external mode for isolation: run Task Runners in external mode so that untrusted task code executes in a separate sidecar container rather than within the main n8n process. This configuration significantly reduces the risk of in-process memory disclosure caused by unsafe buffer allocations.
  In external mode, a launcher manages Task Runner processes in a dedicated sidecar environment, separate from the primary n8n instance.
  See the n8n documentation for configuration details and required environment variables.

Resources

• Node.js documentation: Buffer.alloc() vs Buffer.allocUnsafe(), background on zero-filled vs uninitialized allocations
• n8n Documentation, Task Runners, external mode, setup guide, and environment configuration details
• n8n Documentation, Blocking nodes, how to globally disable specific nodes

The use of Buffer.allocUnsafe() and Buffer.allocUnsafeSlow() in the task runner allowed untrusted code to allocate uninitialized memory. Such uninitialized buffers could contain residual data from within the same Node.js process (for example, data from prior requests, tasks, secrets, or tokens), resulting in potential information disclosure.

Only authenticated users are able to execute code through Task Runners.

This issue affected any deployment in which both of the following conditions were met:

• Task Runners were enabled using N8N_RUNNERS_ENABLED=true (default: false)
• Code Node was enabled (default: true)

CVE-2025-61917 has a CVSS score of 7.7 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.114.3); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Access to unsafe Buffer functions has been removed from the task runner sandbox. All buffer allocations are now zero-filled by default.

• Fixed in: 1.114.3 & 1.115.0
• Action: It is strongly recommended to upgrade to version ≥ 1.114.3 as soon as possible.

Changes introduced in this patch include:

• Routing all buffer allocations through Buffer.alloc (which zero-fills) operations where applicable
• Adding regression tests to ensure continued enforcement of safe allocation practices

1. What is CVE-2025-61917? CVE-2025-61917 is a high-severity security vulnerability in n8n (npm), affecting versions >= 1.65.0, < 1.114.3. It is fixed in 1.114.3.
2. How severe is CVE-2025-61917? CVE-2025-61917 has a CVSS score of 7.7 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of n8n are affected by CVE-2025-61917? n8n (npm) versions >= 1.65.0, < 1.114.3 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2025-61917? Yes. CVE-2025-61917 is fixed in 1.114.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2025-61917 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-61917 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2025-61917 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2025-61917? Upgrade n8n to 1.114.3 or later.