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CVE-2026-33916

MEDIUM CVSS 3.1: 4.7 EPSS 0.04%
Updated Mar 31, 2026
Handlebarsjs
Parameter Value
CVSS 4.7 (MEDIUM)
Affected Versions 4.0.0 — 4.7.9
Fixed In 4.7.9
Type CWE-79 (Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)), CWE-1321 (Prototype Pollution)
Vendor Handlebarsjs
Public PoC No

Handlebars provides the power necessary to let users build semantic templates. In versions 4.0.0 through 4.7.8, `resolvePartial()` in the Handlebars runtime resolves partial names via a plain property lookup on `options.partials` without guarding against prototype-chain traversal. When `Object.prototype` has been polluted with a string value whose key matches a partial reference in a template, the polluted string is used as the partial body and rendered without HTML escaping, resulting in reflected or stored XSS.

Version 4.7.9 fixes the issue. Some workarounds are available. Apply `Object.freeze(Object.prototype)` early in application startup to prevent prototype pollution.

Note: this may break other libraries, and/or use the Handlebars runtime-only build (`handlebars/runtime`), which does not compile templates and reduces the attack surface.

Attack Parameters

Attack Vector
Network
Can be exploited remotely
Attack Complexity
High
Difficult to exploit
Privileges Required
None
No privileges needed
User Interaction
Required
User action required

Impact Assessment

Confidentiality
Low
Partial data leak
Integrity
Low
Partial data modification
Availability
None
No disruption

CVSS Vector v3.1

Vulnerable Products 1

Configuration From (including) Up to (excluding)
Handlebarsjs Handlebars
cpe:2.3:a:handlebarsjs:handlebars:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
4.0.0 4.7.9