What is CVE-2026-86073?

CVE-2026-86073 is a medium-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in n8n (npm), affecting versions >= 2.38.0, < 2.38.1. It is fixed in 2.38.1, 2.37.7. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.

Which versions of n8n are affected by CVE-2026-86073?

n8n (npm) versions >= 2.38.0, < 2.38.1 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2026-86073?

Yes. CVE-2026-86073 is fixed in 2.38.1, 2.37.7. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2026-86073 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2026-86073 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.

What actually determines whether CVE-2026-86073 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.

How do I fix CVE-2026-86073?

Upgrade: n8n to 2.38.1 or later, n8n to 2.37.7 or later.

CVE-2026-86073 in n8n

Q: Which versions of n8n are affected by CVE-2026-86073?

n8n (npm) versions >= 2.38.0, < 2.38.1 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2026-86073?

Yes. CVE-2026-86073 is fixed in 2.38.1, 2.37.7. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is CVE-2026-86073 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2026-86073 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.

Q: What actually determines whether CVE-2026-86073 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.

Q: How do I fix CVE-2026-86073?

Upgrade: n8n to 2.38.1 or later, n8n to 2.37.7 or later.

Summary

n8n: Per-Resource OAuth Consent Bypass via Unbound Refresh Token Resource Substitution

Workarounds

If upgrading is not immediately possible, administrators should consider the following temporary mitigations:

Restrict n8n instance access to fully trusted users only.
Deactivate MCP Trigger, form, and webhook workflows that are protected by the n8n OAuth server if they are not required.
Audit connected OAuth clients and revoke any that are not recognized or no longer needed.
Require re-authorization for all existing OAuth clients after upgrading, as previously issued refresh tokens did not store the original resource binding.

These workarounds do not fully remediate the risk and should only be used as short-term mitigation measures.

Impact

The OAuth token endpoint bound an authorization code's first access token to the consented resource, but not its refresh token. Refreshing only checked that the requested resource was registered, not that it matched the original grant. An OAuth client approved for one workflow could refresh with a different workflow's URL and get a valid, unapproved token for it. The patch binds refresh tokens to the granted resource and rejects mismatches.

Exploitation requires the attacker to register an OAuth client, convince an authenticated user to approve that client for one known protected resource, and know the URL of a second protected resource that the consenting user is permitted to execute.

The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.

Affected versions

n8n (>= 2.38.0, < 2.38.1) n8n (< 2.37.7)

Security releases

n8n → 2.38.1 (npm) n8n → 2.37.7 (npm)

Kodem intelligence

Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.

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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.

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Remediation advice

The issue has been fixed in n8n versions 2.38.1 and 2.37.7. Users should upgrade to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-86073? CVE-2026-86073 is a medium-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in n8n (npm), affecting versions >= 2.38.0, < 2.38.1. It is fixed in 2.38.1, 2.37.7. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
Which versions of n8n are affected by CVE-2026-86073? n8n (npm) versions >= 2.38.0, < 2.38.1 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-86073? Yes. CVE-2026-86073 is fixed in 2.38.1, 2.37.7. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is CVE-2026-86073 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-86073 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
What actually determines whether CVE-2026-86073 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.
How do I fix CVE-2026-86073?
- Upgrade n8n to 2.38.1 or later
- Upgrade n8n to 2.37.7 or later