CVE-2026-40497 json
FreeScout Vulnerable to CSS Injection via Stored Style Tag in Mailbox Signature (CSRF Token Exfiltration)
published 2026-04-21 6 mo ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2026-24052
- cvss
- 8.1
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 0.2%
- EPSS 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 15%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
FreeScout is a free self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Prior to version 1.8.213, FreeScout's `Helper::stripDangerousTags()` removes `<script>`, `<form>`, `<iframe>`, `<object>` but does NOT strip `<style>` tags. The mailbox signature field is saved via POST /mailbox/settings/{id} and later rendered unescaped via `{!! $conversation->getSignatureProcessed([], true) !!}` in conversation views. CSP allows `style-src * 'self' 'unsafe-inline'`, so injected inline styles execute freely. An attacker with access to mailbox settings (admin or agent with mailbox permission) can inject CSS attribute selectors to exfiltrate the CSRF token of any agent/admin who views a conversation in that mailbox. With the CSRF token, the attacker can perform any state-changing action as the victim (create admin accounts, change email/password, etc.) — privilege escalation from agent to admin. This is the result of an incomplete fix of GHSA-jqjf-f566-485j. That advisory reported XSS via mailbox signature. The fix applied `Helper::stripDangerousTags()` to the signature before saving. However, `stripDangerousTags()` only removes `script`, `form`, `iframe`, and `object` tags — it does NOT strip `<style>` tags, leaving CSS injection possible. Version 1.8.213 contains an updated fix.
Patch / fix
- freescout freescout 1.8.213
CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- Proof of concept is public
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
- Assessed
- 6 mo ago
Exploit prediction
0.24% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 15% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
Exploits and checks
- github.com https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-fh99-wr77-pxq3 referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 3.1 | 8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N |
Affected products
- freescout-help-desk freescout
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation
References
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2026-40497
- NVD CVE-2026-40497
Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.
CPEs and fixed versions use Anchore's correction of NVD's data: Added CPE configurations because not yet analyzed by NVD.