GHSA-442J-39WM-28R2
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-03-29 15:16 – Updated: 2026-03-29 15:16
VLAI?
Summary
Handlebars.js has a Property Access Validation Bypass in container.lookup
Details
Summary
In lib/handlebars/runtime.js, the container.lookup() function uses container.lookupProperty() as a gate check to enforce prototype-access controls, but then discards the validated result and performs a second, unguarded property access (depths[i][name]). This Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) pattern means the security check and the actual read are decoupled, and the raw access bypasses any sanitization that lookupProperty may perform.
Only relevant when the compat compile option is enabled ({compat: true}), which activates depthedLookup in lib/handlebars/compiler/javascript-compiler.js.
Description
The vulnerable code in lib/handlebars/runtime.js (lines 137–144):
lookup: function (depths, name) {
const len = depths.length;
for (let i = 0; i < len; i++) {
let result = depths[i] && container.lookupProperty(depths[i], name);
if (result != null) {
return depths[i][name]; // BUG: should be `return result;`
}
}
},
container.lookupProperty() (lines 119–136) enforces hasOwnProperty checks and resultIsAllowed() prototype-access controls. However, container.lookup() only uses lookupProperty as a boolean gate — if the gate passes (result != null), it then performs an independent, raw depths[i][name] access that circumvents any transformation or wrapped value that lookupProperty may have returned.
Workarounds
- Avoid enabling
{ compat: true }when rendering templates that include untrusted data. - Ensure context data objects are plain JSON (no Proxies, no getter-based accessor properties).
Severity ?
{
"affected": [
{
"database_specific": {
"last_known_affected_version_range": "\u003c= 4.7.8"
},
"package": {
"ecosystem": "npm",
"name": "handlebars"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "4.0.0"
},
{
"fixed": "4.7.9"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-367"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2026-03-29T15:16:37Z",
"nvd_published_at": null,
"severity": "LOW"
},
"details": "## Summary\n\nIn `lib/handlebars/runtime.js`, the `container.lookup()` function uses `container.lookupProperty()` as a gate check to enforce prototype-access controls, but then discards the validated result and performs a second, unguarded property access (`depths[i][name]`). This Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) pattern means the security check and the actual read are decoupled, and the raw access bypasses any sanitization that `lookupProperty` may perform.\n\nOnly relevant when the **compat** compile option is enabled (`{compat: true}`), which activates `depthedLookup` in `lib/handlebars/compiler/javascript-compiler.js`.\n\n## Description\n\nThe vulnerable code in `lib/handlebars/runtime.js` (lines 137\u2013144):\n\n```javascript\nlookup: function (depths, name) {\n const len = depths.length;\n for (let i = 0; i \u003c len; i++) {\n let result = depths[i] \u0026\u0026 container.lookupProperty(depths[i], name);\n if (result != null) {\n return depths[i][name]; // BUG: should be `return result;`\n }\n }\n},\n```\n\n`container.lookupProperty()` (lines 119\u2013136) enforces `hasOwnProperty` checks and `resultIsAllowed()` prototype-access controls. However, `container.lookup()` only uses `lookupProperty` as a boolean gate \u2014 if the gate passes (`result != null`), it then performs an independent, raw `depths[i][name]` access that circumvents any transformation or wrapped value that `lookupProperty` may have returned.\n\n## Workarounds\n\n- Avoid enabling `{ compat: true }` when rendering templates that include untrusted data.\n- Ensure context data objects are plain JSON (no Proxies, no getter-based accessor properties).",
"id": "GHSA-442j-39wm-28r2",
"modified": "2026-03-29T15:16:37Z",
"published": "2026-03-29T15:16:37Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/security/advisories/GHSA-442j-39wm-28r2"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/commit/68d8df5a88e0a26fe9e6084c5c6aaebe67b07da2"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/handlebars-lang/handlebars.js/releases/tag/v4.7.9"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
],
"summary": "Handlebars.js has a Property Access Validation Bypass in container.lookup"
}
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Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
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