Read the docs
TI-2026-13572 Aliases CVE-2026-16231

hbs vulnerable to XSS via registerAsyncHelper output-escaping bypass

Priority LOW 37CWE-79Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Cross-site scripting
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-79.

Summary

hbs is an Express view engine that wraps Handlebars. Its registerAsyncHelper API bypasses Handlebars' automatic HTML escaping: an async helper returns an opaque placeholder during the first render pass, so the double-brace expression escapes only the placeholder, and after rendering hbs substitutes the placeholder with the raw callback return value without escaping it, across the cached, uncached, and layout render paths. An application that passes attacker-influenced data, for example user-supplied content from a database, into an async helper callback can therefore have arbitrary HTML and JavaScript injected into the server-rendered page, resulting in stored or reflected cross-site scripting. Versions 2.1.0 through 4.2.1 are affected, and the issue is fixed in 4.3.0, which HTML-escapes async helper output. Applications that intentionally emit raw HTML from an async helper can opt in explicitly with hbs.SafeString. Users should upgrade to 4.3.0.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00402 34th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed hbs (hbs): 4.3.0

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
hbshbs2.1.0 to before 4.3.04.3.0Patch availableCNA
  • hbs Vendorhbs Affected 2.1.0 to before 4.3.0 Fixed in 4.3.0 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:hbs_project:hbs:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*2.1.0 to before 4.3.0VulnerableHbs Project
  • cpe:2.3:a:hbs_project:hbs:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:* Versions 2.1.0 to before 4.3.0 Vulnerable ·Hbs Project

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA hbs (hbs) Fixed in 4.3.0

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-16231

References

  • TI-2026-59485 hbs vulnerable to Denial of Service via unhandled exception in async helper output escaping CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.9

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences