CVE-2023-52268
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2023-52268 is an authentication bypass vulnerability in FreeScout's End-User Portal module where attackers can send session tokens to the /auth endpoint to authenticate as any user. This affects organizations using FreeScout with the End-User Portal module before version 1.0.65. Note that this module is separate from the main FreeScout GitHub repository.
💻 Affected Systems
- FreeScout End-User Portal module
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of all user accounts, including administrative accounts, leading to data theft, privilege escalation, and potential system takeover.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to user accounts, exposure of sensitive customer data, and potential manipulation of help desk tickets.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, strong authentication controls, and monitoring in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending crafted requests to the /auth endpoint with valid session tokens. Public proof-of-concept code is available on GitHub.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.0.65
Vendor Advisory: https://freescout.net/module/end-user-portal/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Log into FreeScout admin panel. 2. Navigate to Modules section. 3. Update End-User Portal module to version 1.0.65 or later. 4. Restart the FreeScout application.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable End-User Portal module
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable module until patching is possible
Navigate to FreeScout admin panel > Modules > Disable End-User Portal
Restrict access to /auth endpoint
allBlock or restrict access to the vulnerable endpoint using web application firewall or reverse proxy rules
Add WAF rule to block requests to */auth* endpoint
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate FreeScout from sensitive systems
- Enable detailed logging and monitoring for authentication attempts and session token usage
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the End-User Portal module version in FreeScout admin panel under Modules sectionCheck Version:
Check via FreeScout web interface: Admin > Modules > End-User PortalVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm module version is 1.0.65 or later in the Modules section📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple authentication attempts with different session tokens
- Unusual /auth endpoint requests
- User logins from unexpected IP addresses
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to /auth endpoint with session tokens
- Unusual authentication traffic patterns
SIEM Query:
source="freescout" AND (uri_path="/auth" OR event_type="authentication")