# CVE-2026-53596: FreeScout rate limiting failure in file upload endpoint

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-53596-freescout-rate-limiting-failure-in-file-upload-endpoint  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-20. Updated: 2026-07-20  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-53596 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-07-20

FreeScout is an open-source help desk and shared inbox platform. A vulnerability in the file upload system allows an attacker to flood the server with an unlimited number of files. This can lead to a complete service outage, database crashes, and exhausted storage space, preventing legitimate customers and staff from using the help desk.

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-53596 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-53596 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-53596?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 20 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** freescout-help-desk FreeScout < 1.8.224.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-53596?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-53596 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-53596?** Check whether anything you run is named in the advisory. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The FreeScout help desk application (built on Laravel) lacks rate limiting, per-user quotas, or CAPTCHA protections on its file upload endpoint. An attacker can send a high volume of concurrent upload requests over the network without authentication (or as a low-privileged user). Each request results in new database records and disk storage consumption. This uncontrolled resource consumption (CWE-400/CWE-770) leads to database I/O overload and disk space exhaustion, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS) condition. The issue is resolved in version 1.8.224.

## Affected products

- freescout-help-desk FreeScout < 1.8.224

## Timeline

- 2026-06-10: advisory: GitHub Security Advisory published
- 2026-07-20: disclosed: CVE published to NVD

## References

- [https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-ph4f-2jhx-q76w](https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-ph4f-2jhx-q76w)