An Assessment of the Overlooked Dangers of Template Engines

Pisu, Lorenzo

;Maiorca, Davide;Giacinto, Giorgio

2026-01-01

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Abstract

Template engines play a pivotal role in modern web application development by enabling the dynamic rendering of content, products, and user interfaces. Today, they are essential for any website that handles dynamic data, from e-commerce to social media. However, their widespread adoption also makes them attractive targets for attackers seeking to exploit vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access to web servers. This paper presents a comprehensive assessment of the risks associated with template engines, with a particular focus on the consequences of Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) and the ease with which such vulnerabilities can escalate to Remote Code Execution (RCE), a critical security concern in web application development.