FreeScout Vulnerable to Authenticated Remote Code Execution via incomplete upload extension denylist (.pht) — bypass of CVE-2025-48471

MITRE NVD CVE.ORG JSON API

Summary

CVECVE-2026-53593
StatePUBLISHED
AssignerGitHub_M
Source PriorityCVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback
Published2026-07-20 20:16:44 UTC
Updated2026-07-21 19:25:11 UTC
DescriptionFreeScout is a free help desk and shared inbox built with PHP's Laravel framework. Prior to version 1.8.224, the denylist that neutralizes dangerous file uploads (`Helper::$restricted_extensions`) is incomplete: it does not cover the `.pht` extension. The authenticated upload endpoint `POST /uploads/upload` (`SecureController@upload`) stores files with their original extension into the web-accessible directory `storage/app/public/uploads/` (served at `/storage/uploads/`). On the standard Apache + `libapache2-mod-php` deployment, the default handler `<FilesMatch ".+\.ph(ar|p[3457]?|t|tml)$">` executes `.pht`, so **any authenticated agent can upload a `.pht` web shell and run arbitrary commands as the web-server user** (`www-data`). This is a direct bypass of the fix for CVE-2025-48471, which added `phtml`/`phar` but not `pht` (nor `phtm`, `phps`). Version 1.8.224 contains an updated fix.

Risk And Classification

Primary CVSS: v3.1 8.8 HIGH from [email protected]

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS: 0.002830000 probability, percentile 0.203500000 (date 2026-07-21)

Problem Types: CWE-434 | CWE-434 CWE-434: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type

VersionSourceTypeScoreSeverityVector
3.1[email protected]Secondary8.8HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
3.1CNADECLARED8.8HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS v3.1 Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Vendor Declared Affected Products

SourceVendorProductVersionPlatforms
CNA Freescout-help-desk Freescout affected < 1.8.224 Not specified

References

ReferenceSourceLinkTags
github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-27vp-f... 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 github.com
CVE Program record CVE.ORG www.cve.org canonical
NVD vulnerability detail NVD nvd.nist.gov canonical, analysis

© CVE.report 2026

Use of this information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are NO warranties, implied or otherwise, with regard to this information or its use. Any use of this information is at the user's risk. It is the responsibility of user to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content. EACH USER WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY consequences of his or her direct or indirect use of this web site. ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND ARE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED. This site will NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT or any other kind of loss.

CVE, CWE, and OVAL are registred trademarks of The MITRE Corporation and the authoritative source of CVE content is MITRE's CVE web site. This site includes MITRE data granted under the following license.

Free CVE JSON API cve.report/api

CVE.report and Source URL Uptime Status status.cve.report