FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Prior to version 1.8.213, an unauthenticated attacker can access diagnostic and system tools that should be restricted to administrators. The /system/cron endpoint relies on a static MD5 hash derived from the APP_KEY, which is exposed in the response and logs. Accessing these endpoints reveals sensitive server information (Full Path Disclosure), process IDs, and allows for Resource Exhaustion (DoS) by triggering heavy background tasks repeatedly without any rate limiting. The cron hash is generated using md5(APP_KEY . 'web_cron_hash'). Since this hash is often transmitted via GET requests, it is susceptible to exposure in server logs, browser history, and proxy logs. Furthermore, the lack of rate limiting on these endpoints allows for automated resource exhaustion (DoS) and brute-force attempts. Version 1.8.213 fixes the issue.
References
Configurations
History
22 Apr 2026, 17:34
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| CPE | cpe:2.3:a:freescout:freescout:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| CVSS |
v2 : v3 : |
v2 : unknown
v3 : 9.8 |
| First Time |
Freescout
Freescout freescout |
|
| References | () https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/b1d6c2c601a6ec3626ab13e679607b5084dfbd38 - Patch | |
| References | () https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/releases/tag/1.8.213 - Release Notes | |
| References | () https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-5jw5-q9j7-4rxc - Exploit, Vendor Advisory |
21 Apr 2026, 20:16
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| References | () https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-5jw5-q9j7-4rxc - |
21 Apr 2026, 16:16
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| New CVE |
Information
Published : 2026-04-21 16:16
Updated : 2026-04-22 17:34
NVD link : CVE-2026-40498
Mitre link : CVE-2026-40498
CVE.ORG link : CVE-2026-40498
JSON object : View
Products Affected
freescout
- freescout