CVE-2026-53596 FreeScout has unrestricted file upload without rate limiting that leads to resource exhaustion (DoS)
Attackers can flood the file upload endpoint to cause database overload and denial of service for all users.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-53596?
CVE-2026-53596 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in freescout-help-desk freescout, published on 20 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
FreeScout is a free help desk and shared inbox built with PHP's Laravel framework. Prior to version 1.8.224, the FreeScout helpdesk application does not enforce rate limiting on the file upload endpoint. Any user can flood the server with upload requests, leading to database overload and potential denial of service for all users. Version 1.8.224 contains a fix.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53596?
How do I fix CVE-2026-53596?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-53596 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is CVE-2026-53596 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-53596 exists.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-ph4f-2jhx-q76w.