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Secure a self-hosted n8n instance by protecting its public endpoints with HTTPS, keeping n8n’s login and user management enabled, safeguarding the credential-encryption key, and maintaining backups that include the database and other required data. Then audit the running instance, restrict risky capabilities to match your users, and test updates and recovery.
Put the editor and webhooks behind HTTPS
n8n recommends placing a reverse proxy such as Traefik or a network load balancer in front of the instance. This can centralize TLS and certificate renewal. Keep n8n’s internal port private and expose only the endpoints your deployment needs; firewall and network rules depend on your hosting platform.
For direct TLS termination in n8n, configure N8N_SSL_CERT and N8N_SSL_KEY with the certificate and key file paths, and arrange certificate renewal yourself. For a reverse-proxy deployment, configure the proxy and n8n together:
- Set the public webhook base URL. Set
N8N_WEBHOOK_URLto the HTTPS URL external services should call. The current n8n documentation says this replaces the deprecatedWEBHOOK_URLstarting in n8n 2.35.0. - Tell n8n how many proxies to trust. Set
N8N_PROXY_HOPSto match the number of trusted proxies between the client and n8n. n8n’s example uses1; do not copy that value if your topology has a different number of hops. - Forward the original request headers. The last proxy should forward
X-Forwarded-For,X-Forwarded-Host, andX-Forwarded-Proto. These allow n8n to identify the original host and HTTPS scheme when constructing webhook URLs. - Verify the result. Confirm the editor is reachable over HTTPS and that a test webhook is registered with the expected public HTTPS URL. Check the firewall and proxy configuration to ensure n8n’s internal port is not unintentionally exposed.
Use n8n’s SSL setup guidance and webhook URL and proxy configuration documentation for the deployed version and proxy platform; certificate issuance, renewal, and hop count are environment-specific.
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Keep authentication enabled and control access
Current n8n user management uses an owner account and invitations. Basic authentication and JWT authentication were removed in n8n 1.0, and recent versions do not provide a supported setting to disable the login screen. Do not expose an unauthenticated editor or rely on old basic-auth instructions.
- Invite only people who need access and assign roles deliberately.
- Configure SMTP if users need to reset passwords. Invitations can be sent without SMTP, but users cannot reset their passwords without it.
- Review the current availability of SSO, two-factor authentication, and instance-wide security policies such as MFA enforcement against your n8n version and edition before depending on them.
See n8n’s authentication and security overview and security documentation index for current options.
Protect the encryption key as carefully as the database
n8n generates a random encryption key on first launch and stores it in the .n8n user folder by default. The key encrypts credentials saved in the database. You can instead set N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY; in queue mode, n8n requires the key to be configured for all workers.
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Include the key in a protected recovery plan and restrict access to it. A database copy alone is not enough: without the original key from the config file, or the configured custom key, restored credentials cannot be decrypted. The same dependency applies to encrypted credential exports.
Follow n8n’s encryption-key configuration guidance when setting or managing the key.
Build a backup that can restore the instance
“A complete backup of a self-hosted n8n instance consists of two parts:” — n8n Docs, Back up and restore. In practice, recovery may require more than those core parts when the deployment uses external storage, custom nodes, or non-default paths.
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What to include
- The
.n8nfolder: usually~/.n8n; it contains the configuration and encryption key, the SQLite database when SQLite is in use, and data for filesystem storage modes. - The database: with PostgreSQL, use PostgreSQL’s own backup tooling and preserve
.n8nas well. With SQLite, stop n8n before copying the folder or use a consistent snapshot method. - Other data stores and paths: include external binary or execution storage such as S3 or Azure Blob Storage, plus any custom filesystem paths.
- Deployment dependencies: retain custom-node directories and the environment variables and deployment settings needed to reconnect to data and decrypt credentials.
For Docker, the .n8n folder is normally in the persistent n8n_data volume mounted at /home/node/.n8n. A backup written only to a disposable container’s filesystem may disappear when that container is removed. Use a persistent bind mount or copy the artifacts out of the container. An external drive or SSD can hold an additional local copy, but local storage alone is not an off-site recovery plan.
CLI exports are useful, but are not full backups
n8n documents these commands for JSON exports:
n8n export:workflow --backup --output=...n8n export:credentials --backup --output=...
These export workflow and credential assets, not users and roles, execution history and logs, variables, instance settings, or the encryption key. Use them for portability or workflow-level recovery, not as a substitute for the database, .n8n folder, and any dependent stores needed to recover the full instance.
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Restore the matching deployment, not just its workflows
- Restore the
.n8nfolder, database, external stores, custom-node directories, and any custom data paths. - Restore the deployment configuration and required environment variables, including the same encryption key and connection details for external services.
- Restart n8n and check that the editor, workflows, and credentials work as expected.
If you are restoring only through CLI imports rather than a full-instance backup, plan for owner setup and credential ownership or project assignment. Imported workflows are inactive by default and must be activated when appropriate. Use n8n’s backup and restore documentation for the deployed version’s procedures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Audit the instance and limit risky capabilities
Run n8n audit in the CLI, call the authenticated POST /audit endpoint, or generate a report with the n8n node. The audit can flag unused credentials, risky SQL expressions, filesystem access, official, community, or custom nodes with security implications, unprotected webhooks, missing security settings, and outdated versions.
Treat the report as a review queue, not proof that the host or network is secure. Investigate findings in the context of actual workflows and users, then address the ones that apply. See the n8n security audit documentation.
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Restrict nodes when users or workflows are not fully trusted
Consider using NODES_EXCLUDE to block high-impact nodes such as Execute Command and Read/Write Files from Disk. Choose restrictions according to which workflows need those capabilities and how much trust you place in the people who can create or edit workflows. n8n documents node blocking in its node restriction guidance.
Use SSRF protection with network controls
n8n documents SSRF protection as available from version 2.12.0. When enabled, it validates outbound requests from user-controllable nodes against blocked and allowed IP ranges, including redirects and DNS resolution. Allowlist only internal hosts you control, and check compatibility with your workflows.
n8n describes this as defense-in-depth: firewalls, security groups, and network policies remain the primary line of defense. SSRF validation does not replace network-level restrictions. See the SSRF protection documentation.
Update with a recovery path
n8n’s published operational guidance suggests updating at least once a month; that is its recommendation, not a regulatory requirement. Review release notes, test updates in a separate environment where practical, and take a full backup before updating. The backup needs to include the same database, key, storage, and deployment dependencies required for recovery, rather than only workflow exports. See n8n’s update guidance.
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