CVE-2026-34442: CWE-20: Improper Input Validation in freescout-help-desk freescout
FreeScout is a free help desk and shared inbox built with PHP's Laravel framework. Prior to version 1.8.211, host header manipulation in FreeScout version (http://localhost:8080/system/status) allows an attacker to inject an arbitrary domain into generated absolute URLs. This leads to External Resource Loading and Open Redirect behavior. When the application constructs links and assets using the unvalidated Host header, user requests can be redirected to attacker-controlled domains and external resources may be loaded from malicious servers. This issue has been patched in version 1.8.211.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2026-34442 is an improper input validation vulnerability (CWE-20) in FreeScout, a PHP Laravel-based help desk application. Before version 1.8.211, FreeScout's system status endpoint (http://localhost:8080/system/status) does not properly validate the Host header, allowing attackers to manipulate it to inject arbitrary domains into absolute URLs generated by the application. This leads to external resource loading from potentially malicious servers and open redirect issues (CWE-601, CWE-829). The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4 (medium severity) and has been addressed in FreeScout version 1.8.211.
Potential Impact
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to cause users to be redirected to attacker-controlled domains and to load external resources from malicious servers. This can facilitate phishing, session hijacking, or delivery of malicious content. The confidentiality and integrity impact is low, with no availability impact reported.
Mitigation Recommendations
Upgrade FreeScout to version 1.8.211 or later, where this vulnerability has been patched. There are no indications of alternative mitigations or temporary fixes. Users should apply the official update to remediate this issue.
CVE-2026-34442: CWE-20: Improper Input Validation in freescout-help-desk freescout
Description
FreeScout is a free help desk and shared inbox built with PHP's Laravel framework. Prior to version 1.8.211, host header manipulation in FreeScout version (http://localhost:8080/system/status) allows an attacker to inject an arbitrary domain into generated absolute URLs. This leads to External Resource Loading and Open Redirect behavior. When the application constructs links and assets using the unvalidated Host header, user requests can be redirected to attacker-controlled domains and external resources may be loaded from malicious servers. This issue has been patched in version 1.8.211.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-34442 is an improper input validation vulnerability (CWE-20) in FreeScout, a PHP Laravel-based help desk application. Before version 1.8.211, FreeScout's system status endpoint (http://localhost:8080/system/status) does not properly validate the Host header, allowing attackers to manipulate it to inject arbitrary domains into absolute URLs generated by the application. This leads to external resource loading from potentially malicious servers and open redirect issues (CWE-601, CWE-829). The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4 (medium severity) and has been addressed in FreeScout version 1.8.211.
Potential Impact
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to cause users to be redirected to attacker-controlled domains and to load external resources from malicious servers. This can facilitate phishing, session hijacking, or delivery of malicious content. The confidentiality and integrity impact is low, with no availability impact reported.
Mitigation Recommendations
Upgrade FreeScout to version 1.8.211 or later, where this vulnerability has been patched. There are no indications of alternative mitigations or temporary fixes. Users should apply the official update to remediate this issue.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- GitHub_M
- Date Reserved
- 2026-03-27T18:18:14.894Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 69cc3ec9e6bfc5ba1d43dab3
Added to database: 3/31/2026, 9:38:17 PM
Last enriched: 4/8/2026, 4:13:58 AM
Last updated: 5/16/2026, 7:59:57 AM
Views: 82
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