Incorrect authorization in freescout-help-desk freescout
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-863.
Summary
FreeScout is a free help desk and shared inbox built with PHP's Laravel framework. Prior to version 1.8.217, a user holding the PERM_EDIT_USERS permission (intended for general user-profile editing) can read and modify the notification subscriptions of any other user, including admins, by sending a single POST request. This is a sibling of CVE-2025-48472's notification authorization bypass — the prior fix did not cover this code path. A non-admin attacker can silently disable an admin's email/browser/mobile notifications, suppressing security alerts and conversation-assignment notices. This issue has been patched in version 1.8.217.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freescout-help-desk | freescout | before 1.8.217 | 1.8.217 | Patch available | CNA |
- freescout Vendorfreescout-help-desk Affected before 1.8.217 Fixed in 1.8.217 Patch available CNA
CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1
Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:freescout:freescout:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | — | — | freescout-help-desk |
- cpe:2.3:a:freescout:freescout:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·freescout-help-desk
Remediation
- Fix · CNA freescout (freescout-help-desk) Fixed in 1.8.217
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-41903
References
More freescout-help-desk vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-38652 FreeScout vulnerable to anonymous account takeover via /user-setup empty invite_hash on MySQL CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.4
- TI-2026-22019 FreeScout's Predictable Authentication Token Enables Account Takeover CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-30304 FreeScout's user invitation hash never expires: permanent unauthenticated account takeover if invite link leaks CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2026-29249 FreeScout has Authentication Bypass and Information Disclosure in SystemController via /system/cron CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.9
- TI-2026-29247 FreeScout has Predictable Attachment Token that Allows Unauthenticated Private File Download via Brute Force CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-38648 FreeScout Vulnerable to Unauthenticated Conversation Thread Injection via HMAC Length Bypass in FetchEmails CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences