Hi, please tell me if there are any ways to protect sensitive data from environment variables, such as: DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD N8N_SMTP_PASS Since any n8n user can execute inside his WF: [image] and compromise, for example, an account from the database. I see in the documentation that some parameters support specifying the path to a secret file, for example: DB_POSTGRESDB_PASSWORD_FILE but it does not support the parameter: N8N_SMTP_PASS and nothing prevents the user from getting this secret by accessing the file: [image] Please tell me if there are any other ways to protect the secrets of the n8n itself? n8n version: 1.34.2 Database: Postgress n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main): Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): Docker Operating system: Running in Kubernetes

Hello @Egor You can set the ENV N8N_BLOCK_ENV_ACCESS_IN_NODE to true to block accessing the envs I’ve also advice to disable the execute command node, as it may be exploited. See the NODES_EXCLUDE in the docs

It looks like your topic is missing some important information. Could you provide the following if applicable. n8n version: Database (default: SQLite): n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main): Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): Operating system:

Hi, @barn4k, this is what I need, thanks for the help!

How to protect the secrets of the n8n itself

Questions

Topic		Replies	Views
How N8N_BLOCK_ENV_ACCESS_IN_NODE should work? Questions core	3	3140	September 13, 2023
Any workflow user can exfiltrate OS environment variables via Send Email node Questions	2	205	November 29, 2025
Secrets from env vars and files Feature Requests	11	4905	October 5, 2021
Create environment with access to n8n self host Questions deployment	12	5619	May 3, 2025
How to get the encryption key an using for my n8n Questions	3	3614	September 16, 2024

How to protect the secrets of the n8n itself

Related topics