CVE-2026-62851
Received Received - Intake

Open Redirect in FreeScout Help Desk

Publication date: 2026-11-06

Last updated on: 2026-11-06

Assigner: GitHub, Inc.

Description
FreeScout is a self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox. Prior to 1.8.226, the search-by-number shortcut in ConversationsController::search() resolves a user-controlled ticket number without applying the mailbox filter or view policy used by the normal search path. An authenticated non-admin agent who is a member of at least one mailbox can request /search with a hash-prefixed ticket number and use the 302 Location header to confirm that a conversation exists in a different mailbox the agent cannot access and learn its internal conversation and folder identifiers. The destination conversation remains protected, so this issue does not disclose message content, attachments, or customer data. This issue is fixed in version 1.8.226.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-11-06
Last Modified
2026-11-06
Generated
2026-11-06
AI Q&A
2026-11-06
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-62851
EUVD
EUVD-2026-118371

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
freescout freescout 1.8.226

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-639 The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.
CWE-200 The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability in FreeScout allows an authenticated non-admin agent to search for conversations by ticket number without proper mailbox authorization. The system returns a 302 redirect with internal identifiers if the ticket exists in any mailbox, even restricted ones, but does not expose conversation content. The issue stems from asymmetric authorization checks where the normal search path enforces mailbox policies but the shortcut bypasses them.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, monitor HTTP 302 redirects in response to search queries with hash-prefixed ticket numbers (e.g., /search?q=%2312345). Check if non-admin agents receive redirects to conversations outside their mailbox scope. Review application logs for unauthorized access attempts to internal conversation or folder identifiers.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could enumerate the existence and volume of conversations in unauthorized mailboxes (e.g., HR or Legal) and obtain internal identifiers. This could help in further reconnaissance or targeted attacks. The actual conversation content remains protected, so no data leakage occurs.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability may impact compliance by allowing unauthorized users to infer the existence of restricted conversations, potentially violating data protection principles like purpose limitation and data minimization under GDPR or HIPAA. However, since no actual content is exposed, the risk is limited to information disclosure rather than direct data breaches.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately upgrade FreeScout to version 1.8.226 or later. Ensure all agents are non-admin users with minimal required permissions. Review mailbox access policies to confirm only authorized users can view specific conversations. Monitor for unusual search patterns or unauthorized access attempts.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-62851. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart

Security Radar

News mentioning this vulnerability
Loading related security news...