CVE-2021-32820
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.
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
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 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV: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 High
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
express-handlebarsnpm |
before 5.3.1 | 5.3.1 |
handlebarsBitnami |
before 5.3.3 | 5.3.3 |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclei | Express-handlebars - Local File Inclusion |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE 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
securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2021-018-express-handlebars
npmjs.com/package/express-handlebars
github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/pull/163
github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/commit/78c47a235c4ad7bc2674bddd8ec2721567ed8c72
github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars/blob/78c47a235c4ad7bc2674bddd8ec2721567ed8c72/README.md
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-32820
github.com/express-handlebars/express-handlebars
github.com/advisories/GHSA-fr76-2wp8-fp92