Leaked tokens matter here because they act like standing keys into live automation systems. Patching n8n does not close that door if the token still works, since it can open workflows and reach stored credentials without exploiting the product itself.
GitGuardian found 4,576 unique n8n tokens in public GitHub commits across 1,255 hostnames. In testing, 321 of 896 reachable instances accepted at least one leaked token, which let the researchers access workflow data and downstream secrets through normal API access. The issue reaches self-hosted n8n and n8n.cloud deployments, especially where teams store cloud, database, or SaaS credentials inside workflows.
The forward risk is persistence: leaked source control can remain a live entry point after any CVE is fixed. That makes token rotation and secret review part of containment, not just patch management.