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CVE-2026-40496

9.1 · CRITICAL

FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox.

Published Apr 21, 2026CWE-330EPSS 0.55%

Overview

CVE-2026-40496 is a critical-severity vulnerability. It was published on April 21, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 (CRITICAL).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical 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.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References

GitHubgithub.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/dbdf8f2260b43a21818255c70f0b61b9de9cd555GitHubgithub.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/releases/tag/1.8.213GitHubgithub.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-2783-wxmm-wmwr

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-40496?

CVE-2026-40496 is a critical-severity vulnerability. It was published on April 21, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2026-40496?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-40496?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-40496?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-40496 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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