FreeScout has Predictable Attachment Token that Allows Unauthenticated Private File Download via Brute Force
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-40496 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | GitHub_M |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-04-21 02:16:08 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-04-21 02:16:08 UTC |
| 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. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v4.0 8.8 HIGH from [email protected]
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
Problem Types: CWE-330 | CWE-340 | CWE-330 CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values | CWE-340 CWE-340: Generation of Predictable Numbers or Identifiers
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | [email protected] | Secondary | 8.8 | HIGH | 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/C... |
| 4.0 | CNA | DECLARED | 8.8 | HIGH | 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 |
CVSS v4.0 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
LowAttack Requirements
NonePrivileges Required
NoneUser Interaction
NoneConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
NoneSub Conf.
NoneSub Integrity
NoneSub Availability
NoneCVSS: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
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Freescout-help-desk | Freescout | affected < 1.8.213 | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/dbdf8f2260b43a21818255c7... | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-2783-w... | [email protected] | github.com | |
| github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/releases/tag/1.8.213 | [email protected] | github.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
No vendor comments have been submitted for this CVE.
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.