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CVE-2021-32820

File disclosure in Express Handlebars

8.6 HighFix available

Express-handlebars is a Handlebars view engine for Express. Express-handlebars mixes pure template data with engine configuration options through the Express render API. More specifically, the layout parameter may trigger file disclosure vulnerabilities in downstream applications. This potential vulnerability is somewhat restricted in that only files with existing extentions (i.e. file.extension) can be included, files that lack an extension will have .handlebars appended to them. For complete details refer to the referenced GHSL-2021-018 report. Notes in documentation have been added to help users avoid this potential information exposure vulnerability.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

15.7%Up 14.5 points since May 15, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 8.6

Express-handlebars is a Handlebars view engine for Express. Express-handlebars mixes pure template data with engine configuration options through the Express render API. More specifically, the layout parameter may trigger file disclosure vulnerabilities in downstream applications. This potential vulnerability is somewhat restricted in that only files with existing extentions (i.e. file.extension) can be included, files that lack an extension will have .handlebars appended to them. For complete details refer to the referenced GHSL-2021-018 report. Notes in documentation have been added to help users avoid this potential information exposure vulnerability.

Record
CVE-2021-32820
CVSS 3.1
8.6 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS 2.0
5.0 MediumAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-200, CWE-94
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

File disclosure in Express Handlebars

Express-handlebars is a Handlebars view engine for Express. Express-handlebars mixes pure template data with engine configuration options through the Express render API. More specifically, the layout parameter may trigger file disclosure vulnerabilities in downstream applications. This potential vulnerability is somewhat restricted in that only files with existing extentions (i.e. file.extension) can be included, files that lack an extension will have .handlebars appended to them. For complete details refer to the referenced GHSL-2021-018 report. Notes in documentation have been added to help users avoid this potential information exposure vulnerability.

Record
CVE-2021-32820
Weakness
CWE-200
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-0992 No score

Express-handlebars is a Handlebars view engine for Express. Express-handlebars mixes pure template data with engine configuration options through the Express render API. More specifically, the layout parameter may trigger file disclosure vulnerabilities in downstream applications. This potential vulnerability is somewhat restricted in that only files with existing extentions (i.e. file.extension) can be included, files that lack an extension will have .handlebars appended to them. For complete details refer to the referenced GHSL-2021-018 report. Notes in documentation have been added to help users avoid this potential information exposure vulnerability.

Record
EUVD-2022-0992
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-fr76-2wp8-fp92 8.6

Insecure template handling in Express-handlebars

Express-handlebars is a Handlebars view engine for Express. Express-handlebars mixes pure template data with engine configuration options through the Express render API. More specifically, the layout parameter may trigger file disclosure vulnerabilities in downstream applications. This potential vulnerability is somewhat restricted in that only files with existing extentions (i.e. file.extension) can be included, files that lack an extension will have .handlebars appended to them. For complete details refer to the referenced GHSL-2021-018 report. Notes in documentation have been added to help users avoid this potential information exposure vulnerability.

A fix is discussed in https://github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/pull/163

Record
GHSA-fr76-2wp8-fp92
CVSS 3.1
8.6 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-94, CWE-200
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 8.6

Express-handlebars is a Handlebars view engine for Express. Express-handlebars mixes pure template data with engine configuration options through the Express render API. More specifically, the layout parameter may trigger file disclosure vulnerabilities in downstream applications. This potential vulnerability is somewhat restricted in that only files with existing extentions (i.e. file.extension) can be included, files that lack an extension will have .handlebars appended to them. For complete details refer to the referenced GHSL-2021-018 report. Notes in documentation have been added to help users avoid this potential information exposure vulnerability.

Record
CVE-2021-32820
CVSS 3.1
8.6 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-fr76-2wp8-fp92 8.6

Insecure template handling in Express-handlebars

Express-handlebars is a Handlebars view engine for Express. Express-handlebars mixes pure template data with engine configuration options through the Express render API. More specifically, the layout parameter may trigger file disclosure vulnerabilities in downstream applications. This potential vulnerability is somewhat restricted in that only files with existing extentions (i.e. file.extension) can be included, files that lack an extension will have .handlebars appended to them. For complete details refer to the referenced GHSL-2021-018 report. Notes in documentation have been added to help users avoid this potential information exposure vulnerability.

A fix is discussed in https://github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/pull/163

Record
GHSA-fr76-2wp8-fp92
CVSS 3.1
8.6 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-200, CWE-94
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-handlebars-2021-32820 No score

File disclosure in Express Handlebars

Express-handlebars is a Handlebars view engine for Express. Express-handlebars mixes pure template data with engine configuration options through the Express render API. More specifically, the layout parameter may trigger file disclosure vulnerabilities in downstream applications. This potential vulnerability is somewhat restricted in that only files with existing extentions (i.e. file.extension) can be included, files that lack an extension will have .handlebars appended to them. For complete details refer to the referenced GHSL-2021-018 report. Notes in documentation have been added to help users avoid this potential information exposure vulnerability.

Record
BIT-handlebars-2021-32820
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
express-handlebars
npm
before 5.3.1
5.3.1
handlebars
Bitnami
before 5.3.3
5.3.3

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
SourceLinkDate
NucleiExpress-handlebars - Local File Inclusion

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, Nuclei, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2021-32820 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.6) in Express-handlebars, published May 14, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 15.7%, the 96th percentile. Fixed in express-handlebars 5.3.1.

References

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