CVE-2021-41170
Evaluation of closures can lead to execution of methods & functions in current program scope
neoan3-apps/template is a neoan3 minimal template engine. Versions prior to 1.1.1 have allowed for passing in closures directly into the template engine. As a result values that are callable are executed by the template engine. The issue arises if a value has the same name as a method or function in scope and can therefore be executed either by mistake or maliciously. In theory all users of the package are affected as long as they either deal with direct user input or database values. A multi-step attack on is therefore plausible. Version 1.1.1 has addressed this vulnerability. Unfortunately only working with hardcoded values is safe in prior versions. As this likely defeats the purpose of a template engine, please upgrade.
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
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used 9.8
Evaluation of closures can lead to execution of methods & functions in current program scope
neoan3-apps/template is a neoan3 minimal template engine. Versions prior to 1.1.1 have allowed for passing in closures directly into the template engine. As a result values that are callable are executed by the template engine. The issue arises if a value has the same name as a method or function in scope and can therefore be executed either by mistake or maliciously. In theory all users of the package are affected as long as they either deal with direct user input or database values. A multi-step attack on is therefore plausible. Version 1.1.1 has addressed this vulnerability. Unfortunately only working with hardcoded values is safe in prior versions. As this likely defeats the purpose of a template engine, please upgrade.
- Record
CVE-2021-41170- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-277, CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-2287 9.8
neoan3-apps/template is a neoan3 minimal template engine. Versions prior to 1.1.1 have allowed for passing in closures directly into the template engine. As a result values that are callable are executed by the template engine. The issue arises if a value has the same name as a method or function in scope and can therefore be executed either by mistake or maliciously. In theory all users of the package are affected as long as they either deal with direct user input or database values. A multi-step attack on is therefore plausible. Version 1.1.1 has addressed this vulnerability. Unfortunately only working with hardcoded values is safe in prior versions. As this likely defeats the purpose of a template engine, please upgrade.
- Record
EUVD-2021-2287- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-3v56-q6r6-4gcw 7.5
Insecure Inherited Permissions in neoan3-apps/template
Impact
Versions prior 1.1.1 have allowed for passing in closures directly into the template engine. As a result values that are callable are executed by the template engine. The issue arises if a value has the same name as a method or function in scope and can therefore be executed either by mistake or maliciously.
In theory all users of the package are affected as long as they either deal with direct user input or database values. A multi-step attack on is therefore plausible.
Patches
Version 1.1.1 has addressed this vulnerability.
$params = [
'reverse' => fn($input) => strrev($input), // <-- no longer possible with version ~1.1.1
'value' => 'My website'
]
TemplateFunctions::registerClosure('reverse', fn($input) => strrev($input)); // <-- still possible (and nicely isolated)
Template::embrace('<h1>{{reverse(value)}}</h1>', $params);
Workarounds
Unfortunately only working with hardcoded values is safe in prior versions. As this likely defeats the purpose of a template engine, please upgrade.
References
As a possible exploit is relatively easy to achieve, I will not share steps to reproduce the issue for now.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in our repo
- Record
GHSA-3v56-q6r6-4gcw- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-74, CWE-277, CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD 9.8
neoan3-apps/template is a neoan3 minimal template engine. Versions prior to 1.1.1 have allowed for passing in closures directly into the template engine. As a result values that are callable are executed by the template engine. The issue arises if a value has the same name as a method or function in scope and can therefore be executed either by mistake or maliciously. In theory all users of the package are affected as long as they either deal with direct user input or database values. A multi-step attack on is therefore plausible. Version 1.1.1 has addressed this vulnerability. Unfortunately only working with hardcoded values is safe in prior versions. As this likely defeats the purpose of a template engine, please upgrade.
- Record
CVE-2021-41170- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.5 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-74, CWE-277, CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV 9.8
neoan3-apps/template is a neoan3 minimal template engine. Versions prior to 1.1.1 have allowed for passing in closures directly into the template engine. As a result values that are callable are executed by the template engine. The issue arises if a value has the same name as a method or function in scope and can therefore be executed either by mistake or maliciously. In theory all users of the package are affected as long as they either deal with direct user input or database values. A multi-step attack on is therefore plausible. Version 1.1.1 has addressed this vulnerability. Unfortunately only working with hardcoded values is safe in prior versions. As this likely defeats the purpose of a template engine, please upgrade.
- Record
CVE-2021-41170- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-3v56-q6r6-4gcw 7.5
Insecure Inherited Permissions in neoan3-apps/template
Impact
Versions prior 1.1.1 have allowed for passing in closures directly into the template engine. As a result values that are callable are executed by the template engine. The issue arises if a value has the same name as a method or function in scope and can therefore be executed either by mistake or maliciously.
In theory all users of the package are affected as long as they either deal with direct user input or database values. A multi-step attack on is therefore plausible.
Patches
Version 1.1.1 has addressed this vulnerability.
$params = [
'reverse' => fn($input) => strrev($input), // <-- no longer possible with version ~1.1.1
'value' => 'My website'
]
TemplateFunctions::registerClosure('reverse', fn($input) => strrev($input)); // <-- still possible (and nicely isolated)
Template::embrace('<h1>{{reverse(value)}}</h1>', $params);
Workarounds
Unfortunately only working with hardcoded values is safe in prior versions. As this likely defeats the purpose of a template engine, please upgrade.
References
As a possible exploit is relatively easy to achieve, I will not share steps to reproduce the issue for now.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in our repo
- Record
GHSA-3v56-q6r6-4gcw- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-277, CWE-732, CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
neoan3-apps/templatePackagist | before 1.1.1 | 1.1.1 |
neoan3-apps/templatePackagist | before 1.1.1, plus listed versions 1.0.01.0.11.0.21.0.31.0.41.0.51.1.0 | 1.1.1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-41170 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Neoan Neoan3-template, published November 8, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.58%, the 75th percentile. Fixed in neoan3-apps/template 1.1.1.
References
github.com/sroehrl/neoan3-template/security/advisories/GHSA-3v56-q6r6-4gcw
github.com/sroehrl/neoan3-template/issues/8
github.com/sroehrl/neoan3-template/commit/4a2c9570f071d3c8f4ac790007599cba20e16934
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-41170
github.com/advisories/GHSA-3v56-q6r6-4gcw
github.com/sroehrl/neoan3-template