# CVE-2026-32753: FreeScout: Stored XSS through SVG file upload with filter bypass

> Authenticated attackers can upload malicious SVG files disguised as PNGs to execute JavaScript in other users' browsers, potentially hijacking accounts.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 20 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cvr8-cw5c-5pfw

## What is CVE-2026-32753?

CVE-2026-32753 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in freescout-help-desk freescout, published on 19 Mar 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

FreeScout is a free help desk and shared inbox built with PHP's Laravel framework. In versions 1.8.208 and below, bypasses of the attachment view logic and SVG sanitizer make it possible to upload and render an SVG that runs malicious JavaScript. An extension of .png with content type of image/svg+xml is allowed, and a fallback mechanism on invalid XML leads to unsafe sanitization. The application restricts which uploaded files are rendered inline: only files considered "safe" are displayed in the browser; others are served with Content-Disposition: attachment. This decision is based on two checks: the file extension (e.g. .png is allowed, while .svg may not be) and the declared Content-Type (e.g. image/* is allowed). By using a filename with an allowed extension (e.g. xss.png) and a Content-Type of image/svg+xml, an attacker can satisfy both checks and cause the server to treat the upload as a safe image and render it inline, even though the body is SVG and can contain scripted behavior. Any authenticated user can set up a specific URL, and whenever another user or administrator visits it, XSS can perform any action on their behalf. This issue has been fixed in version 1.8.209.

Weakness: CWE-80 (Improper Neutralization of Script-Related HTML Tags in a Web Page)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-32753?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Freescout Freescout.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-32753?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-32753 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-32753 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-32753 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in freescout-help-desk freescout

- [CVE-2026-28289](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28289/): FreeScout 1.8.206 Patch Bypass for CVE-2026-27636 via Zero-Width Space Character Leads to Remote Code Execution (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-27637](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27637/): FreeScout's Predictable Authentication Token Enables Account Takeover (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-32754](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32754/): FreeScout: Stored XSS via Unescaped Email Template Rendering ({!! $thread->body !!}) (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2024-29185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-29185/): FreeScout OS Command Injection vulnerability (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-40498](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40498/): FreeScout has Authentication Bypass and Information Disclosure in SystemController via /system/cron (high 8.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-32753 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-32753 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in freescout-help-desk freescout, published on 19 Mar 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-32753 exists.

Affected product: freescout-help-desk freescout. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32753/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32753/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-32753
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32753
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-32753

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32753/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.