# CVE-2026-85743: FreeScout: Server-side request forgery via incomplete outbound host validation and unguarded download sinks

Status: published. Published: 2026-11-06. Updated: 2026-11-11.

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.

## Remediation

- fix: freescout-help-desk/freescout (composer): GitHub reports patched versions 1.8.230. Check the advisory for the affected release branch. (source: GitHub GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h) — https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h

## Affected products and versions

- freescout-help-desk / freescout: < 1.8.230 (affected). Source: CNA: GitHub_M
-  / freescout-help-desk/freescout (freescout-help-desk/freescout): <1.8.230 (affected, GitHub advisory range). Source: GitHub GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 8.2 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L; source: CNA: GitHub_M

- CVSS 3.1: 8.2 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L; source: NVD: security-advisories@github.com

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.26% as of 2026-11-10; percentile 18.33%

- SSVC: exploitation poc; automatable no; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-918

## Exploit evidence

- exploit: https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h (ADP: CISA-ADP)

## References

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h (CNA: GitHub_M; x_refsource_CONFIRM)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/09799fd4bcf731704bc2099a87bca0cf18d20acb (CNA: GitHub_M; x_refsource_MISC)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/a4c587cf1fff87eae7d3e4f297fa4cc81ba28704 (CNA: GitHub_M; x_refsource_MISC)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/releases/tag/1.8.230 (CNA: GitHub_M; x_refsource_MISC)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h (ADP: CISA-ADP; exploit)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/09799fd4bcf731704bc2099a87bca0cf18d20acb (security-advisories@github.com)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/a4c587cf1fff87eae7d3e4f297fa4cc81ba28704 (security-advisories@github.com)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/releases/tag/1.8.230 (security-advisories@github.com)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h (security-advisories@github.com)

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h (GitHub Security Advisories; advisory)

## Provenance

- CNA: GitHub_M: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-85743; retrieved 2026-11-11; source updated 2026-11-11

- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-85743; retrieved 2026-11-06; source updated 2026-11-06

- GitHub Security Advisories: https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-6w8v-qp43-vg2h; retrieved 2026-11-08; source updated 2026-09-04

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-85743; retrieved 2026-11-11; source updated Not reported

Revision: 12c80bd3c3c2bf32428167a5ebfbfa6b48bdcc91ea1dae840570adc4d07f4707

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-85743

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