CVE-2026-40569
FreeScout's Mass Assignment in Mailbox Connection Settings Enables Silent Email Exfiltration
FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Versions prior to 1.8.213 have a mass assignment vulnerability in the mailbox connection settings endpoints of FreeScout (connectionIncomingSave() at app/Http/Controllers/MailboxesController.php:468 and connectionOutgoingSave() at line 398). Both methods pass $request->all() directly to $mailbox->fill() without any field allowlisting, allowing an authenticated admin to overwrite any of the 32 fields in the Mailbox model's $fillable array -- including security-critical fields that do not belong to the connection settings form, such as auto_bcc, out_server, out_password, signature, auto_reply_enabled, and auto_reply_message. Validation in connectionIncomingSave() is entirely commented out, and the validator in connectionOutgoingSave() only checks value formats for SMTP fields without stripping extra parameters. An authenticated admin user can exploit this by appending hidden parameters (e.g., [email protected]) to a legitimate connection settings save request. Because the auto_bcc field is not displayed on the connection settings form (it only appears on the general mailbox settings page), the injection is invisible to other administrators reviewing connection settings. Once set, every outgoing email from the affected mailbox is silently BCC'd to the attacker via the SendReplyToCustomer job. The same mechanism allows redirecting outgoing SMTP through an attacker-controlled server, injecting tracking pixels or phishing links into email signatures, and enabling attacker-crafted auto-replies -- all from a single HTTP request. This is particularly dangerous in multi-admin environments where one admin can silently surveil mailboxes managed by others, and when an admin session is compromised via a separate vulnerability (e.g., XSS), the attacker gains persistent email exfiltration that survives session expiry. Version 1.8.213 fixes the issue.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
9.0
FreeScout's Mass Assignment in Mailbox Connection Settings Enables Silent Email Exfiltration
FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Versions prior to 1.8.213 have a mass assignment vulnerability in the mailbox connection settings endpoints of FreeScout (connectionIncomingSave() at app/Http/Controllers/MailboxesController.php:468 and connectionOutgoingSave() at line 398). Both methods pass $request->all() directly to $mailbox->fill() without any field allowlisting, allowing an authenticated admin to overwrite any of the 32 fields in the Mailbox model's $fillable array -- including security-critical fields that do not belong to the connection settings form, such as auto_bcc, out_server, out_password, signature, auto_reply_enabled, and auto_reply_message. Validation in connectionIncomingSave() is entirely commented out, and the validator in connectionOutgoingSave() only checks value formats for SMTP fields without stripping extra parameters. An authenticated admin user can exploit this by appending hidden parameters (e.g., [email protected]) to a legitimate connection settings save request. Because the auto_bcc field is not displayed on the connection settings form (it only appears on the general mailbox settings page), the injection is invisible to other administrators reviewing connection settings. Once set, every outgoing email from the affected mailbox is silently BCC'd to the attacker via the SendReplyToCustomer job. The same mechanism allows redirecting outgoing SMTP through an attacker-controlled server, injecting tracking pixels or phishing links into email signatures, and enabling attacker-crafted auto-replies -- all from a single HTTP request. This is particularly dangerous in multi-admin environments where one admin can silently surveil mailboxes managed by others, and when an admin session is compromised via a separate vulnerability (e.g., XSS), the attacker gains persistent email exfiltration that survives session expiry. Version 1.8.213 fixes the issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-40569- CVSS 3.1
- 9.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-284, CWE-915
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-24171
9.0
FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Versions prior to 1.8.213 have a mass assignment vulnerability in the mailbox connection settings endpoints of FreeScout (connectionIncomingSave() at app/Http/Controllers/MailboxesController.php:468 and connectionOutgoingSave() at line 398). Both methods pass $request->all() directly to $mailbox->fill() without any field allowlisting, allowing an authenticated admin to overwrite any of the 32 fields in the Mailbox model's $fillable array -- including security-critical fields that do not belong to the connection settings form, such as auto_bcc, out_server, out_password, signature, auto_reply_enabled, and auto_reply_message. Validation in connectionIncomingSave() is entirely commented out, and the validator in connectionOutgoingSave() only checks value formats for SMTP fields without stripping extra parameters. An authenticated admin user can exploit this by appending hidden parameters (e.g., [email protected]) to a legitimate connection settings save request. Because the auto_bcc field is not displayed on the connection settings form (it only appears on the general mailbox settings page), the injection is invisible to other administrators reviewing connection settings. Once set, every outgoing email from the affected mailbox is silently BCC'd to the attacker via the SendReplyToCustomer job. The same mechanism allows redirecting outgoing SMTP through an attacker-controlled server, injecting tracking pixels or phishing links into email signatures, and enabling attacker-crafted auto-replies -- all from a single HTTP request. This is particularly dangerous in multi-admin environments where one admin can silently surveil mailboxes managed by others, and when an admin session is compromised via a separate vulnerability (e.g., XSS), the attacker gains persistent email exfiltration that survives session expiry. Version 1.8.213 fixes the issue.
- Record
EUVD-2026-24171- CVSS 3.1
- 9.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
9.0
FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Versions prior to 1.8.213 have a mass assignment vulnerability in the mailbox connection settings endpoints of FreeScout (connectionIncomingSave() at app/Http/Controllers/MailboxesController.php:468 and connectionOutgoingSave() at line 398). Both methods pass $request->all() directly to $mailbox->fill() without any field allowlisting, allowing an authenticated admin to overwrite any of the 32 fields in the Mailbox model's $fillable array -- including security-critical fields that do not belong to the connection settings form, such as auto_bcc, out_server, out_password, signature, auto_reply_enabled, and auto_reply_message. Validation in connectionIncomingSave() is entirely commented out, and the validator in connectionOutgoingSave() only checks value formats for SMTP fields without stripping extra parameters. An authenticated admin user can exploit this by appending hidden parameters (e.g., [email protected]) to a legitimate connection settings save request. Because the auto_bcc field is not displayed on the connection settings form (it only appears on the general mailbox settings page), the injection is invisible to other administrators reviewing connection settings. Once set, every outgoing email from the affected mailbox is silently BCC'd to the attacker via the SendReplyToCustomer job. The same mechanism allows redirecting outgoing SMTP through an attacker-controlled server, injecting tracking pixels or phishing links into email signatures, and enabling attacker-crafted auto-replies -- all from a single HTTP request. This is particularly dangerous in multi-admin environments where one admin can silently surveil mailboxes managed by others, and when an admin session is compromised via a separate vulnerability (e.g., XSS), the attacker gains persistent email exfiltration that survives session expiry. Version 1.8.213 fixes the issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-40569- CVSS 3.1
- 9.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-284, CWE-915
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
9.0
FreeScout's Mass Assignment in Mailbox Connection Settings Enables Silent Email Exfiltration
FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Versions prior to 1.8.213 have a mass assignment vulnerability in the mailbox connection settings endpoints of FreeScout (connectionIncomingSave() at app/Http/Controllers/MailboxesController.php:468 and connectionOutgoingSave() at line 398). Both methods pass $request->all() directly to $mailbox->fill() without any field allowlisting, allowing an authenticated admin to overwrite any of the 32 fields in the Mailbox model's $fillable array -- including security-critical fields that do not belong to the connection settings form, such as auto_bcc, out_server, out_password, signature, auto_reply_enabled, and auto_reply_message. Validation in connectionIncomingSave() is entirely commented out, and the validator in connectionOutgoingSave() only checks value formats for SMTP fields without stripping extra parameters. An authenticated admin user can exploit this by appending hidden parameters (e.g., [email protected]) to a legitimate connection settings save request. Because the auto_bcc field is not displayed on the connection settings form (it only appears on the general mailbox settings page), the injection is invisible to other administrators reviewing connection settings. Once set, every outgoing email from the affected mailbox is silently BCC'd to the attacker via the SendReplyToCustomer job. The same mechanism allows redirecting outgoing SMTP through an attacker-controlled server, injecting tracking pixels or phishing links into email signatures, and enabling attacker-crafted auto-replies -- all from a single HTTP request. This is particularly dangerous in multi-admin environments where one admin can silently surveil mailboxes managed by others, and when an admin session is compromised via a separate vulnerability (e.g., XSS), the attacker gains persistent email exfiltration that survives session expiry. Version 1.8.213 fixes the issue.
- Record
CVE-2026-40569- CVSS 3.1
- 9.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-284, CWE-915
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-40569 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.0) in Freescout-help-desk Freescout, published April 21, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.30%, the 22nd percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-hmqm-33wp-858j
github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/f45b9105d43b0352c08fcca154e8ae6177c3d860
github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/releases/tag/1.8.213
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/40xxx/CVE-2026-40569.json
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40569