CVE-2026-85743: FreeScout is a self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox.

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

FreeScout is a self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Prior to 1.8.230, multiple outbound paths in Helper::downloadRemoteFile(), Helper::checkPort(), Helper::sanitizeRemoteUrl(), MailboxesController.php, and ModulesController.php do not consistently enforce a sink-level restricted-host policy. An authenticated administrator, or another authenticated user permitted to change mailbox connection settings or trigger module update or installation paths, can supply attacker-controlled URLs or hosts. The independent download and port-test sinks can reach encoded or otherwise uncovered loopback and internal addresses. The redirect-validation bypass additionally requires a configured whitelist that permits the original and final hosts while a restricted internal host appears only as an intermediate redirect hop. No unauthenticated SSRF path is established. The server can consequently contact loopback and internal services, provide a blind internal port oracle, and retrieve internal HTTP responses into application-controlled download sinks. This issue is fixed in version 1.8.230.

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by GitHub

What it means for a small business

If your business uses freescout, install the vendor's update. If you're not sure whether you use it, ask whoever manages your computers.

Check your own setup

Website check: reads what your site runs from the outside (WordPress version, plugins it can see, old server software) and matches it against this database.
Server check: what your web server says about itself, and whether that version has known flaws.

Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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