Agent impersonation via missing notification-reply HMAC
Published May 29, 2026 · Updated May 29, 2026
Authentication bypass in FreeScout before 1.8.220 allows remote attackers to impersonate agents and send forged replies to customers. FetchEmails processMessage() trusts thread and user identifiers from notification-reply Message-IDs without verifying an APP_KEY-derived HMAC. Exploitation requires a valid thread identifier, an agent address, and delivery of a spoofed From address to the configured IMAP inbox; FreeScout attributes and relays the reply as that agent.
Summary
What happened
Authentication bypass in FreeScout before 1.8.220 allows remote attackers to impersonate agents and send forged replies to customers. FetchEmails processMessage() trusts thread and user identifiers from notification-reply Message-IDs without verifying an APP_KEY-derived HMAC. Exploitation requires a valid thread identifier, an agent address, and delivery of a spoofed From address to the configured IMAP inbox; FreeScout attributes and relays the reply as that agent.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-47123
- Published
- May 29, 2026
- Updated
- May 29, 2026
- Vendor
- FreeScout
- Product
- FreeScout
- Classifications
- CWE-290, CWE-345, T1656
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 29, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=< 1.8.220
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Upstream advisory email-injection proof of conceptfunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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