High severity · published Mar 27, 2026
CVE-2026-33940
Handlebars.js has JavaScript Injection via AST Type Confusion when passing an object as dynamic partial
8.1
CVSS
0.7%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Handlebars provides the power necessary to let users build semantic templates. In versions 4.0.0 through 4.7.8, a crafted object placed in the template context can bypass all conditional guards in `resolvePartial()` and cause `invokePartial()` to return `undefined`. The Handlebars runtime then treats the unresolved partial as a source that needs to be compiled, passing the crafted object to `env.compile()`. Because the object is a valid Handlebars AST containing injected code, the generated JavaScript executes arbitrary commands on the server. The attack requires the adversary to control a value that can be returned by a dynamic partial lookup. Version 4.7.9 fixes the issue. Some workarounds are available. First, use the runtime-only build (`require('handlebars/runtime')`). Without `compile()`, the fallback compilation path in `invokePartial` is unreachable. Second, sanitize context data before rendering: Ensure no value in the context is a non-primitive object that could be passed to a dynamic partial. Third, avoid dynamic partial lookups (`{{> (lookup ...)}}`) when context data is user-controlled.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.7% · higher than 54% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
HA
handlebars.js · handlebars-lang
>= 4.0.0, < 4.7.9 · source: vendor
HA
Handlebars · Handlebarsjs
4.0.0 before 4.7.9 · source: NVD
CO
Cluster Observability Operator 1.5.0 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
LS
Logging Subsystem for Red Hat OpenShift · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces 3.27 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
Affected product
HA
handlebars.js
handlebars-lang
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