Description
Handlebars provides the power necessary to let users build semantic templates. In versions 4.0.0 through 4.7.8, the Handlebars CLI precompiler (`bin/handlebars` / `lib/precompiler.js`) concatenates user-controlled strings — template file names and several CLI options — directly into the JavaScript it emits, without any escaping or sanitization. An attacker who can influence template filenames or CLI arguments can inject arbitrary JavaScript that executes when the generated bundle is loaded in Node.js or a browser. Version 4.7.9 fixes the issue. Some workarounds are available. First, validate all CLI inputs before invoking the precompiler. Reject filenames and option values that contain characters with JavaScript string-escaping significance (`"`, `'`, `;`, etc.). Second, use a fixed, trusted namespace string passed via a configuration file rather than command-line arguments in automated pipelines. Third, run the precompiler in a sandboxed environment (container with no write access to sensitive paths) to limit the impact of successful exploitation. Fourth, audit template filenames in any repository or package that is consumed by an automated build pipeline.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| handlebars-lang | handlebars.js | >= 4.0.0, < 4.7.9 | — |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | node-handlebars | 3:4.7.9-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | node-handlebars | No fix yet | — |
Wolfi
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfi rolling | jupyter-base-notebook | 7.6.3-r2 | — |
| Wolfi rolling | lerna | 9.0.7-r2 | — |
| Wolfi rolling | opensearch-dashboards-3 | 3.5.0-r12 | — |
| Wolfi rolling | prism | 5.14.3-r13 | — |
| Wolfi rolling | py3.10-jupyterlab +3 | 4.6.1-r1 | — |
| Wolfi rolling | rancher-api-ui | 1.2.3-r8 | — |
| Wolfi rolling | ts-patch | 4.0.1-r0 | — |
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| npm | handlebars | >= 4.0.0, < 4.7.9 | 4.7.9 | GHSA-xjpj-3mr7-gcpf |
Advisories 3
- WID-SEC-2026-1434 IBM App Connect Enterprise Certified Container: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 9, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-4059 Oracle REST Data Services: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Oct 20, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-3655 IBM InfoSphere Data Replication: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Sep 29, 2026