Bug 2452525 (CVE-2026-33938)

Summary: CVE-2026-33938 handlebars: Handlebars: Arbitrary code execution via @partial-block overwrite
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
Status: NEW --- QA Contact:
Severity: high Docs Contact:
Priority: high    
Version: unspecifiedCC: aazores, abuckta, cmah, dhanak, dkuc, drosa, eaguilar, ebaron, gotiwari, ibek, jcantril, jgrulich, jhorak, jkoehler, jolong, jrokos, lchilton, lphiri, mnovotny, mvyas, orabin, pjindal, rhel-process-autobot, rojacob, sausingh, sdawley, sfeifer, tpopela, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone: ---Keywords: Security
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Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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A flaw was found in Handlebars. A remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the `@partial-block` special variable within the template data context. By overwriting `@partial-block` with a specially crafted Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) through a helper, a subsequent invocation of `{{> @partial-block}}` will compile and execute the malicious AST. This enables arbitrary JavaScript execution on the server, leading to potential compromise of the system.
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oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
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Bug Depends On: 2452602, 2452608, 2452613, 2452617, 2452651, 2452590, 2452592, 2452594, 2452621, 2452627, 2452631, 2452633, 2452636, 2452646, 2452654    
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-03-27 22:03:22 UTC
Handlebars provides the power necessary to let users build semantic templates. In versions 4.0.0 through 4.7.8, the `@partial-block` special variable is stored in the template data context and is reachable and mutable from within a template via helpers that accept arbitrary objects. When a helper overwrites `@partial-block` with a crafted Handlebars AST, a subsequent invocation of `{{> @partial-block}}` compiles and executes that AST, enabling arbitrary JavaScript execution on the server. Version 4.7.9 fixes the issue. Some workarounds are available. First, use the runtime-only build (`require('handlebars/runtime')`). The `compile()` method is  absent, eliminating the vulnerable fallback path. Second, audit registered helpers for any that write arbitrary values to context objects. Helpers  should treat context data as read-only. Third, avoid registering helpers from third-party packages (such as `handlebars-helpers`) in  contexts where templates or context data can be influenced by untrusted input.