TI-2026-86040 Aliases CVE-2026-103985

Improper privilege management in FreeScout lets agents lift assignment limits

MEDIUM 64CWE-269Published 2026-11-06 · Updated 2026-11-06

Key facts

Attack vector: Network
Privileges required: Low
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: Privilege escalation, Security bypass
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · Low · None
Fix status: Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-269 and CWE-284.

Summary

FreeScout before 1.8.231 lets a non-admin agent change their own only_assigned_tickets permission through the profile form. UsersController::profileSave() adds or removes that restriction without checking that the editor is an administrator. A restricted agent with low privileges can remove the administrator-imposed restriction by unchecking the option or submitting a profile save that omits it. The agent can then read and modify conversations assigned to other agents in every mailbox they already belong to.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

Description from the CNA

FreeScout is a self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Prior to 1.8.231, the profile form exposes the only_assigned_tickets permission to its non-admin owner, and UsersController::profileSave() adds or removes User::PERM_ONLY_ASSIGNED_TICKETS without checking that the editor is an administrator. A restricted agent can uncheck the option, or submit an ordinary profile save that omits it, to remove the administrator-imposed restriction. The agent can then read and modify conversations assigned to other agents in every mailbox they already belong to. This issue is fixed in version 1.8.231.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV

EPSS 0.00299 22nd percentileScored 2026-11-07

Fix Fixed freescout (freescout-help-desk): 1.8.231

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation: Poc
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 1.8.231	1.8.231	Patch available	CNA

freescout Vendorfreescout-help-desk Affected before 1.8.231 Fixed in 1.8.231 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

Upgrade FreeScout to version 1.8.231.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06

Fix · CNA freescout (freescout-help-desk) Fixed in 1.8.231

Timeline

2026-11-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-103985
2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed

References

Other 3

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

See all 90 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences