CVE-2021-23383

Versions of handlebars prior to 3.0.8 or 4.5.3 are vulnerable to prototype pollution. It is possible to add or modify properties to the Object prototype through a malicious template. This may allow attackers to crash the application or execute Arbitrary Code in specific conditions.

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 3.0.8, 4.5.3 or later.

Versions of handlebars prior to 3.0.8 or 4.5.3 are vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution. The package's lookup helper fails to properly validate templates, allowing attackers to submit templates that execute arbitrary JavaScript in the system. It is due to an incomplete fix for a previous issue. This vulnerability can be used to run arbitrary code in a server processing Handlebars templates or on a victim's browser (effectively serving as Cross-Site Scripting).

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 3.0.8, 4.5.3 or later.

The package handlebars before 4.7.7 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution when selecting certain compiling options to compile templates coming from an untrusted source.

The package handlebars before 4.7.7 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution when selecting certain compiling options to compile templates coming from an untrusted source.

The package handlebars before 4.7.7 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution when selecting certain compiling options to compile templates coming from an untrusted source.

Versions of handlebars prior to 3.0.8 or 4.5.2 are vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution. The package's lookup helper fails to properly validate templates, allowing attackers to submit templates that execute arbitrary JavaScript in the system. It can be used to run arbitrary code in a server processing Handlebars templates or on a victim's browser (effectively serving as Cross-Site Scripting).

The following template can be used to demonstrate the vulnerability:

	{{#with split as |a|}}
		{{pop (push "alert('Vulnerable Handlebars JS');")}}
		{{#with (concat (lookup join (slice 0 1)))}}
			{{#each (slice 2 3)}}
				{{#with (apply 0 a)}}
					{{.}}
				{{/with}}
			{{/each}}
		{{/with}}
	{{/with}}
{{/with}}```


## Recommendation

Upgrade to version 3.0.8, 4.5.2 or later.

Summary

In lib/handlebars/runtime.js, the container.lookup() function uses container.lookupProperty() as a gate check to enforce prototype-access controls, but then discards the validated result and performs a second, unguarded property access (depths[i][name]). This Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) pattern means the security check and the actual read are decoupled, and the raw access bypasses any sanitization that lookupProperty may perform.

Only relevant when the compat compile option is enabled ({compat: true}), which activates depthedLookup in lib/handlebars/compiler/javascript-compiler.js.

Description

The vulnerable code in lib/handlebars/runtime.js (lines 137–144):

lookup: function (depths, name) {
  const len = depths.length;
  for (let i = 0; i < len; i++) {
    let result = depths[i] && container.lookupProperty(depths[i], name);
    if (result != null) {
      return depths[i][name];  // BUG: should be `return result;`
    }
  }
},

container.lookupProperty() (lines 119–136) enforces hasOwnProperty checks and resultIsAllowed() prototype-access controls. However, container.lookup() only uses lookupProperty as a boolean gate — if the gate passes (result != null), it then performs an independent, raw depths[i][name] access that circumvents any transformation or wrapped value that lookupProperty may have returned.

Workarounds

• Avoid enabling { compat: true } when rendering templates that include untrusted data.
• Ensure context data objects are plain JSON (no Proxies, no getter-based accessor properties).

The package handlebars before 4.7.7 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution when selecting certain compiling options to compile templates coming from an untrusted source.

Versions of handlebars prior to 4.0.14 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution. Templates may alter an Objects' prototype, thus allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the server.

Recommendation

For handlebars 4.1.x upgrade to 4.1.2 or later. For handlebars 4.0.x upgrade to 4.0.14 or later.

Handlebars.js is an extension to the Mustache templating language created by Chris Wanstrath. Handlebars.js and Mustache are both logicless templating languages that keep the view and the code separated like we all know they should be.

Security Fix(es):

The package handlebars before 4.7.7 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution when selecting certain compiling options to compile templates coming from an untrusted source.(CVE-2021-23383)

The package handlebars before 4.7.7 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution when selecting certain compiling options to compile templates coming from an untrusted source.

TuxCare rebuilt handlebars to address 9 CVEs. Fixed in 3.0.3-tuxcare.1.

TuxCare rebuilt handlebars to address 1 CVE. Fixed in 1.3.0-tuxcare.1.

TuxCare rebuilt handlebars to address 3 CVEs. Fixed in 1.0.12-tuxcare.2.

TuxCare rebuilt handlebars to address 2 CVEs. Fixed in 1.3.0-tuxcare.2.

TuxCare rebuilt handlebars to address 2 CVEs. Fixed in 2.0.0-tuxcare.2.

TuxCare rebuilt handlebars to address 9 CVEs. Fixed in 4.7.9-tuxcare.1.

TuxCare rebuilt handlebars to address 3 CVEs. Fixed in 3.0.8-tuxcare.1.

TuxCare rebuilt dompurify to address 34 CVEs. Fixed in 3.0.3-tuxcare.1.

TuxCare rebuilt handlebars to address 2 CVEs. Fixed in 4.5.3-tuxcare.4.

Versions of handlebars prior to 3.0.8 or 4.5.3 are vulnerable to prototype pollution. It is possible to add or modify properties to the Object prototype through a malicious template. This may allow attackers to crash the application or execute Arbitrary Code in specific conditions.

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 3.0.8, 4.5.3 or later.

Versions of handlebars prior to 3.0.8 or 4.5.3 are vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution. The package's lookup helper fails to properly validate templates, allowing attackers to submit templates that execute arbitrary JavaScript in the system. It is due to an incomplete fix for a previous issue. This vulnerability can be used to run arbitrary code in a server processing Handlebars templates or on a victim's browser (effectively serving as Cross-Site Scripting).

Recommendation

Upgrade to version 3.0.8, 4.5.3 or later.

Root has patched CVE-2021-23383 in the handlebars package for Root:npm. Multiple fixed versions available.

Root has patched GHSA-2cf5-4w76-r9qv in the handlebars package for Root:npm. Multiple fixed versions available.

Root has patched GHSA-g9r4-xpmj-mj65 in the handlebars package for Root:npm. Multiple fixed versions available.

Root has patched GHSA-q2c6-c6pm-g3gh in the handlebars package for Root:npm. Multiple fixed versions available.

Root has patched GHSA-q42p-pg8m-cqh6 in the handlebars package for Root:npm. Multiple fixed versions available.