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

> Attackers can achieve full account takeover by computing predictable authentication tokens if the application key is exposed.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Feb 2026

## What is CVE-2026-27637?

CVE-2026-27637 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in freescout-help-desk freescout, published on 25 Feb 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official 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.

Weakness: CWE-330 (Use of Insufficiently Random Values)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-27637?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Freescout Freescout.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-27637?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-27637 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-27637 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-27637 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in freescout-help-desk freescout

- [CVE-2026-28289](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-28289/): FreeScout 1.8.206 Patch Bypass for CVE-2026-27636 via Zero-Width Space Character Leads to Remote Code Execution (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-32754](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32754/): FreeScout: Stored XSS via Unescaped Email Template Rendering ({!! $thread->body !!}) (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2024-29185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-29185/): FreeScout OS Command Injection vulnerability (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-40498](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40498/): FreeScout has Authentication Bypass and Information Disclosure in SystemController via /system/cron (high 8.9)
- [CVE-2026-40496](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40496/): FreeScout has Predictable Attachment Token that Allows Unauthenticated Private File Download via Brute Force (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-27637 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-27637 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in freescout-help-desk freescout, published on 25 Feb 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-27637 exists.

Affected product: freescout-help-desk freescout. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27637/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27637/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-27637
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-27637
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-27637

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27637/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.