CVE-2026-33939
highpriority · track · 0EPSS 0.006 · 50 %ileDEEURUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
Handlebars provides the power necessary to let users build semantic templates. In versions 4.0.0 through 4.7.8, when a Handlebars template contains decorator syntax referencing an unregistered decorator (e.g. `{{*n}}`), the compiled template calls `lookupProperty(decorators, "n")`, which returns `undefined`. The runtime then immediately invokes the result as a function, causing an unhandled `TypeError: ... is not a function` that crashes the Node.js process. Any application that compiles user-supplied templates without wrapping the call in a `try/catch` is vulnerable to a single-request Denial of Service. Version 4.7.9 fixes the issue. Some workarounds are available. Wrap compilation and rendering in `try/catch`. Validate template input before passing it to `compile()`; reject templates containing decorator syntax (`{{*...}}`) if decorators are not used in your application. Use the pre-compilation workflow; compile templates at build time and serve only pre-compiled templates; do not call `compile()` at request time.
cvss
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base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode
ssvc
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weaknesses
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affected products (11)
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advisories (3)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-1434IBM App Connect Enterprise Certified Container: Mehrere SchwachstellenDeutsch2026-05-07csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in IBM App Connect Enterprise Certified Container ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen, vertrauliche Informationen offenzulegen, einen Denial-of-Service-Zustand zu verursachen oder Cross-Site-Scripting-Angriffe durchzuführen.
- WID-SEC-W-2026-3655IBM InfoSphere Data Replication: Mehrere SchwachstellenDeutsch2026-09-29csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in IBM InfoSphere Data Replication ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen, um einen Denial of Service Angriff durchzuführen und um einen Cross-Site Scripting Angriff durchzuführen.
- GHSA-9cx6-37pm-9jffHandlebars.js has Denial of Service via Malformed Decorator Syntax in Template Compilation2026-03-27ghsa · osvUS
## Summary When a Handlebars template contains decorator syntax referencing an unregistered decorator (e.g. `{{*n}}`), the compiled template calls `lookupProperty(decorators, "n")`, which returns `undefined`. The runtime then immediately invokes the result as a function, causing an unhandled `TypeError: ... is not a function` that crashes the Node.js process. Any application that compiles user-supplied templates without wrapping the call in a `try/catch` is vulnerable to a single-request Denial of Service. ## Description In `lib/handlebars/compiler/javascript-compiler.js`, the code generated for a decorator invocation looks like: ```javascript fn = lookupProperty(decorators, "n")(fn, props, container, options) || fn; ``` When `"n"` is not a registered decorator, `lookupProperty(decorators, "n")` returns `undefined`. The expression immediately attempts to call `undefined` as a function, producing: ``` TypeError: lookupProperty(...) is not a function ``` Because the error is thrown inside the compiled template function and is not caught by the runtime, it propagates up as an unhandled exception and — when not caught by the application — crashes the Node.js process. This inconsistency is notable: references to unregistered **helpers** produce a clean `"Missing helper: ..."` error, while references to unregistered **decorators** cause a hard crash. **Attack scenario:** An attacker submits `{{*n}}` as template content to any endpoint that calls `Handlebars.compile(userInput)()`. Each request crashes the server process; with process managers that auto-restart (PM2, systemd), repeated submissions create a persistent DoS. ## Proof of Concept ```javascript const Handlebars = require('handlebars'); // Handlebars 4.7.8, Node.js v22.x // Any of these payloads crash the process Handlebars.compile('{{*n}}')({}); Handlebars.compile('{{*decorator}}')({}); Handlebars.compile('{{*constructor}}')({}); ``` Expected crash output: ``` TypeError: lookupProperty(...) is not a function at Function.eval [as decorator] (eval at compile (...javascript-compiler.js:134:36)) ``` ## Workarounds - **Wrap compilation and rendering in `try/catch`:** ```javascript try { const result = Handlebars.compile(userInput)(context); res.send(result); } catch (err) { res.status(400).send('Invalid template'); } ``` - **Validate template input** before passing it to `compile()`. Reject templates containing decorator syntax (`{{*...}}`) if decorators are not used in your application. - **Use the pre-compilation workflow:** compile templates at build time and serve only pre-compiled templates; do not call `compile()` at request time.
also known as (3)
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sources
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references (15)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/commit/68d8df5a88e0a26fe9e6084c5c6aaebe67b07da2cnnvd
- https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/releasesPatchcnnvd
- https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/releases/tag/v4.7.9cnnvd
- https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/security/advisories/GHSA-9cx6-37pm-9jffcnnvd
- https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/commit/68d8df5a88e0a26fe9e6084c5c6aaebe67b07da2enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/releases/tag/v4.7.9enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/security/advisories/GHSA-9cx6-37pm-9jffenisa_euvd
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:10175nvd
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