CVE-2026-27637
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedFreeScout 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.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceFreeScout's TokenAuth middleware uses a predictable authentication token computed as MD5(user_id + created_at + APP_KEY). The token is static (never expires/rotates), and if an attacker obtains the APP_KEY — a well-documented Laravel exposure — they can compute a valid token for any user, including administrators, achieving full account takeover without any password.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 1.8.206CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check your FreeScout versionLocate the installed version number in your FreeScout instance (typically found in the admin panel under System > Info, or in a version file within the installation directory) and compare it to the affected range of versions prior to 1.8.206Affected if The installed version is below 1.8.206
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Identify if TokenAuth middleware is activeExamine your FreeScout installation for the TokenAuth middleware configuration; check if routes or APIs are using TokenAuth for authentication by reviewing the middleware registrations in the applicationAffected if TokenAuth middleware is enabled and handling authentication requests
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Verify APP_KEY accessibilityCheck if the Laravel APP_KEY from your .env configuration file is accessible to unauthorized parties; common exposure vectors include publicly accessible .env files, debug mode exposing configuration, or known Laravel file disclosure vulnerabilitiesAffected if The APP_KEY value can be obtained by an attacker through file exposure, debug information, or other Laravel-specific disclosure methods
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Review authentication token behaviorIf TokenAuth is in use, examine whether tokens remain static over time without rotation or expiration by checking the token generation and storage mechanism in the codebaseAffected if Authentication tokens are computed using the static MD5(user_id + created_at + APP_KEY) formula and do not expire or rotate
You are affected if your FreeScout version is below 1.8.206, TokenAuth middleware is active, and your APP_KEY could potentially be obtained by an attacker, allowing them to compute valid static tokens for account takeover.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped1.8.206
Upgrade to FreeScout version 1.8.206 or later. If the APP_KEY may have been compromised, rotate it (regenerate a new APP_KEY) which will invalidate all existing tokens, and review access logs for unauthorized administrative access.
1.8.206
- 1. Back up your current FreeScout installation and database before proceeding with any update.
- 2. Update FreeScout to version 1.8.206 or later using your preferred installation method (e.g., Composer update, git pull, or the built-in update mechanism).
- 3. After updating, verify that the TokenAuth middleware has been updated by checking that the commit 004a8231f6e413af1d4680930b0e2342fd4283f9 is included.
- 4. If you suspect your APP_KEY may have been exposed, rotate it by generating a new APP_KEY in your .env file and clearing any cached configurations.
- 5. Review all user accounts for unauthorized access and consider rotating all authentication tokens as a precautionary measure.
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-27637 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-27637 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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