CVE-2026-40496FreeScout has Predictable Attachment Token that Allows Unauthenticated Private File Download via Brute Force
- 8.8HighCVSS base score
- 0.40%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 65% of all CVEs
- NoKnown exploitednot in CISA's KEV catalog
- YesPublic exploitsa reference or SSVC says so
Description
FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Prior to version 1.8.213, attachment download tokens are generated using a weak and predictable formula: `md5(APP_KEY + attachment_id + size)`. Since attachment_id is sequential and size can be brute-forced in a small range, an unauthenticated attacker can forge valid tokens and download any private attachment without credentials. Version 1.8.213 fixes the issue.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: a proof of concept is public.
Timeline
ID reserved
By GitHub_M
- 8 days later
· 8 days later
Published
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub_MCNA (assigner) | 4.0 | High8.8 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 4.0 | High8.8 | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.40% · top 65% of all CVEs (12 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: poc · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: partial
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 8.8.
Affected products
freescout-help-desk · freescout
- affected < 1.8.213
References
References3
- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-2783-wxmm-wmwr (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/dbdf8f2260b43a21818255c70f0b61b9de9cd555 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/releases/tag/1.8.213 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISC
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2026-24049 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2026-40496)Record last updated .