n8n Workflow Guides

Comprehensive guide to automation workflows in the BugBounty KSP platform using n8n.

🔄 What is n8n?

n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool that enables you to connect different services and automate processes. In the BugBounty KSP platform, n8n is used for:

Automating report notifications
Processing submissions
Integrating with external services
Scheduling periodic tasks
Data synchronization

🚀 Getting Started with n8n

Installation

Using Docker

docker run -it --rm \
  --name n8n \
  -p 5678:5678 \
  -v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n \
  n8nio/n8n

Using npm

npm install -g n8n
n8n start

Access n8n UI

Once started, access the n8n interface at:

http://localhost:5678

Configuration

Add these environment variables to connect n8n with BugBounty KSP:

N8N_PORT=5678
N8N_PROTOCOL=http
N8N_HOST=localhost
WEBHOOK_URL=http://localhost:5678
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_ACTIVE=true
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_USER=admin
N8N_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=secure_password

# BugBounty KSP API
BUGBOUNTY_API_URL=http://localhost:3000/api/v1
BUGBOUNTY_API_KEY=your_api_key

📊 Core Workflows

1. New Report Notification Workflow

Sends notifications when a new vulnerability report is submitted.

Trigger: Webhook
Actions: Email, Discord, Slack notification

{
  "name": "New Report Notification",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "name": "Webhook Trigger",
      "webhookId": "new-report",
      "path": "new-report"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.function",
      "name": "Process Report Data",
      "functionCode": "return [\n  {\n    json: {\n      title: $json.title,\n      severity: $json.severity,\n      program: $json.program_name,\n      researcher: $json.researcher_name\n    }\n  }\n];"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.discord",
      "name": "Discord Notification",
      "webhook_url": "",
      "message": "🚨 New  severity report: "
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
      "name": "Email Notification",
      "to": "security-team@example.com",
      "subject": "New Report: ",
      "text": "A new  report has been submitted..."
    }
  ]
}

Setup Steps:

Create a new workflow in n8n
Add a Webhook trigger node
Configure webhook path: /webhook/new-report
Add Discord and Email nodes
Activate the workflow
Copy webhook URL to BugBounty KSP settings

2. Report Triage Automation

Automatically categorizes and assigns reports based on severity.

Trigger: Webhook
Logic: Conditional routing based on severity

{
  "name": "Report Triage",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "name": "New Report Webhook"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.switch",
      "name": "Route by Severity",
      "rules": [
        { "condition": "severity === 'critical'", "output": 0 },
        { "condition": "severity === 'high'", "output": 1 },
        { "condition": "true", "output": 2 }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Assign to Senior Team",
      "method": "POST",
      "url": "/reports//assign",
      "body": { "team": "senior" }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Assign to Regular Team",
      "method": "POST",
      "url": "/reports//assign",
      "body": { "team": "regular" }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Auto-Triage Low Priority",
      "method": "PATCH",
      "url": "/reports/",
      "body": { "status": "triaged", "priority": "low" }
    }
  ]
}

3. Periodic Statistics Report

Generates and sends weekly statistics reports.

Trigger: Cron (Weekly)
Actions: Fetch data, generate report, send email

{
  "name": "Weekly Statistics Report",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.cron",
      "name": "Weekly Trigger",
      "cronExpression": "0 9 * * 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Fetch Statistics",
      "method": "GET",
      "url": "/analytics/weekly",
      "authentication": "headerAuth",
      "headerAuth": {
        "name": "Authorization",
        "value": "Bearer "
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.function",
      "name": "Format Report",
      "functionCode": "const stats = $json;\nreturn [{\n  json: {\n    subject: `Weekly Report - ${new Date().toLocaleDateString()}`,\n    body: `\n      Total Reports: ${stats.total_reports}\n      New Reports: ${stats.new_reports}\n      Resolved: ${stats.resolved}\n      Pending: ${stats.pending}\n      Total Paid: $${stats.total_paid}\n    `\n  }\n}];"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
      "name": "Send Report Email",
      "to": "management@example.com",
      "subject": "",
      "text": ""
    }
  ]
}

4. Duplicate Report Detection

Checks for potential duplicate reports using similarity matching.

Trigger: Webhook
Actions: Query existing reports, calculate similarity, flag duplicates

{
  "name": "Duplicate Detection",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "name": "New Report Webhook"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Fetch Similar Reports",
      "method": "GET",
      "url": "/reports/search",
      "qs": {
        "program_id": "=",
        "keywords": "="
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.function",
      "name": "Calculate Similarity",
      "functionCode": "// Implement similarity logic\nconst threshold = 0.8;\nconst isDuplicate = similarity > threshold;\nreturn [{ json: { isDuplicate, similarReports: results } }];"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
      "name": "Check if Duplicate",
      "conditions": {
        "boolean": [{ "value1": "=", "value2": true }]
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Flag as Potential Duplicate",
      "method": "PATCH",
      "url": "/reports/",
      "body": {
        "flags": ["potential_duplicate"],
        "similar_reports": "="
      }
    }
  ]
}

5. Researcher Engagement Workflow

Automatically follows up with researchers after report submission.

Trigger: Webhook
Timeline:

Immediate: Confirmation email
Day 1: Status update
Day 7: Follow-up if no response

{
  "name": "Researcher Engagement",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "name": "Report Submitted"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
      "name": "Immediate Confirmation",
      "to": "=",
      "subject": "Report Received: ",
      "text": "Thank you for your submission. We'll review it shortly."
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.wait",
      "name": "Wait 24 Hours",
      "amount": 24,
      "unit": "hours"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "name": "Check Report Status",
      "method": "GET",
      "url": "/reports/"
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
      "name": "Status Changed?",
      "conditions": {
        "string": [{ 
          "value1": "=", 
          "operation": "notEqual",
          "value2": "new" 
        }]
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
      "name": "Status Update Email",
      "to": "=",
      "subject": "Update on Your Report",
      "text": "Your report status: "
    }
  ]
}

🔗 Integration Points

Webhook Configuration in BugBounty KSP

Configure webhooks in your application settings:

// Example webhook configuration
const webhookConfig = {
  new_report: {
    url: 'http://localhost:5678/webhook/new-report',
    events: ['report.created'],
    active: true
  },
  report_updated: {
    url: 'http://localhost:5678/webhook/report-updated',
    events: ['report.status_changed'],
    active: true
  }
};

API Authentication

Use API keys for n8n to authenticate with BugBounty KSP:

// In n8n HTTP Request nodes
{
  "authentication": "headerAuth",
  "headerAuth": {
    "name": "Authorization",
    "value": "Bearer "
  }
}

🛠️ Advanced Patterns

Error Handling

{
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.errorTrigger",
  "name": "On Error",
  "actions": [
    {
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
      "name": "Error Notification",
      "to": "admin@example.com",
      "subject": "Workflow Error",
      "text": "Error in workflow: "
    }
  ]
}

Retry Logic

{
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
  "name": "API Call with Retry",
  "options": {
    "retry": {
      "enabled": true,
      "maxTries": 3,
      "waitBetween": 1000
    }
  }
}

Data Transformation

// Function node for complex transformations
const items = $input.all();
return items.map(item => ({
  json: {
    id: item.json.id,
    formattedDate: new Date(item.json.created_at).toLocaleDateString(),
    severityLevel: item.json.severity.toUpperCase(),
    isUrgent: ['critical', 'high'].includes(item.json.severity)
  }
}));

📝 Best Practices

Use Environment Variables: Store sensitive data in environment variables
Error Handling: Always add error trigger nodes
Testing: Test workflows with sample data before activation
Monitoring: Enable workflow execution logs
Documentation: Document complex workflows with notes
Modular Design: Break complex workflows into sub-workflows
Rate Limiting: Implement delays between API calls

🔍 Debugging Workflows

Enable Debug Mode

export N8N_LOG_LEVEL=debug
n8n start

View Execution Data

In n8n UI:

Go to Executions tab
Click on failed execution
View input/output data for each node
Check error messages

Common Issues

Webhook not triggering:

Verify webhook URL is correct
Check webhook is activated
Ensure firewall allows traffic

API authentication failing:

Verify API key is valid
Check Authorization header format
Confirm API endpoint URL

Timeout errors:

Increase timeout in HTTP Request node
Add retry logic
Check API server status

📚 Resources

← Frontend Components

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n8n Workflows

Comprehensive documentation for the BugBounty KSP platform