Code Injection in Handlebars (CVE-2019-20920)
Summary
Code injection in Handlebars (CVE-2019-20920). Confidential information can be exposed externally.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
Handlebars before 3.0.8 and 4.x before 4.5.3 is vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution. The lookup helper fails to properly validate templates, allowing attackers to submit templates that execute arbitrary JavaScript. This can be used to run arbitrary code on a server processing Handlebars templates or in a victim's browser (effectively serving as XSS).
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2019-20920 has been found in Handlebars.
Confidential information can be exposed externally. CVSS score: 8.1/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Handlebars CVE-2019-20920" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2019-20920 (Handlebars) — CWE-94 / CVSS v3 8.1
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
Arbitrary code execution (CWE-94) exists in Handlebars.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Handlebars.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.1/10). Confidential information can be exposed externally.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run grep -r 'Handlebars' . against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
grep -r 'Handlebars' . | grep -v node_modulesリポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で
Handlebarsを grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。 -
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。