fix: bootstrap blocker + 4 security bugs

- Bootstrap (critical): settings/create/index no longer 403 on fresh install.
  Site admins (admin/super_admin) can access settings when 0 groups exist.
  First group creation seeds default priorities (Low/Medium/High/Urgent).
  Index shows friendly first-run splash. Create shows warning + settings link.

- Internal notes leak (high): submitters can no longer receive is_internal
  messages via ticket show, index detail panel, or any Inertia prop.
  filterMessagesForRole() strips internal notes for non-agents.

- Arbitrary assignee (med/high): update() now validates assigned_to against
  actual agent-access users for the ticket's group server-side.

- Cross-group priority/project forgery (medium): store() and update() now
  verify priority_id and project_id belong to the ticket's own group (or
  are global for priorities).

- Foreign message_id on attachment upload (medium): message_id is now
  validated to belong to the current ticket, not just any message row.

resources/js/Pages/Ticketing/Create.vue

@@ -5,7 +5,14 @@
       <h1 class="text-2xl font-bold text-gray-900 dark:text-white mt-2">Submit a Ticket</h1>
     </div>
 
-    <form @submit.prevent="submit" class="bg-white dark:bg-gray-800 rounded-xl shadow-sm border border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700 p-6 space-y-5">
+    <!-- Bootstrap / No groups state -->
+    <div v-if="isBootstrap" class="bg-amber-50 dark:bg-amber-900/30 border border-amber-300 dark:border-amber-600 rounded-xl px-5 py-6 text-center">
+      <p class="text-amber-800 dark:text-amber-200 font-semibold text-base mb-2">📦 Ticketing isn’t set up yet</p>
+      <p class="text-sm text-amber-700 dark:text-amber-300 mb-4">An admin needs to create at least one group before tickets can be submitted.</p>
+      <Link :href="route('ticketing.settings')" class="inline-block bg-indigo-600 text-white text-sm px-4 py-2 rounded-lg hover:bg-indigo-700">Go to Settings</Link>
+    </div>
+
+    <form v-else @submit.prevent="submit" class="bg-white dark:bg-gray-800 rounded-xl shadow-sm border border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700 p-6 space-y-5">
       <!-- Group -->
       <div>
         <label class="block text-sm font-medium text-gray-700 dark:text-gray-300 mb-1">Group <span class="text-red-500">*</span></label>
@@ -90,6 +97,7 @@ import { Link, useForm } from '@inertiajs/vue3'
 const props = defineProps({
   groups: Array,
   priorities: Array,
+  isBootstrap: Boolean,
 })
 
 const form = useForm({

resources/js/Pages/Ticketing/Index.vue

@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 <template>
   <div class="flex h-screen overflow-hidden bg-slate-100 text-slate-900 dark:bg-slate-950 dark:text-slate-100">
+
+    <!-- Bootstrap / first-run state -->
+    <div v-if="isBootstrap" class="flex flex-col items-center justify-center w-full h-full text-center px-6">
+      <div class="max-w-md">
+        <div class="text-5xl mb-4">🎫</div>
+        <h2 class="text-2xl font-bold text-slate-800 dark:text-slate-100 mb-2">Ticketing isn’t set up yet</h2>
+        <p class="text-slate-500 dark:text-slate-400 mb-6">Create your first group in Settings to get started. Default priorities will be seeded automatically.</p>
+        <Link :href="route('ticketing.settings')" class="inline-block bg-indigo-600 text-white px-5 py-2.5 rounded-xl text-sm font-medium hover:bg-indigo-700 transition">Go to Settings</Link>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+
+    <template v-else>
     <aside class="hidden w-72 shrink-0 border-r border-slate-200 bg-white/90 backdrop-blur dark:border-slate-800 dark:bg-slate-900/90 lg:flex lg:flex-col">
       <div class="border-b border-slate-200 p-5 dark:border-slate-800">
         <div class="flex items-center justify-between gap-3">
@@ -408,6 +420,7 @@
         </div>
       </template>
     </section>
+  </template>
   </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -425,6 +438,7 @@ const props = defineProps({
   ticketDetail: Object,
   detailAgents: Array,
   viewCounts: Object,
+  isBootstrap: Boolean,
 })
 
 const search = ref('')

resources/js/Pages/Ticketing/Settings.vue

@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@
       <h1 class="text-2xl font-bold text-gray-900 dark:text-white mt-2">Ticketing Settings</h1>
     </div>
 
+    <!-- Bootstrap banner -->
+    <div v-if="isBootstrap" class="mb-6 px-5 py-4 bg-amber-50 dark:bg-amber-900/30 border border-amber-300 dark:border-amber-600 rounded-xl">
+      <h2 class="text-base font-semibold text-amber-800 dark:text-amber-200 mb-1">🚀 First-Run Setup</h2>
+      <p class="text-sm text-amber-700 dark:text-amber-300">
+        No groups exist yet. Create your first group below to get started.
+        Default priorities (Low, Medium, High, Urgent) will be seeded automatically.
+      </p>
+    </div>
+
     <!-- Flash message -->
     <div v-if="$page.props.flash?.success" class="mb-4 px-4 py-2 bg-green-50 dark:bg-green-900/30 border border-green-200 dark:border-green-700 text-green-700 dark:text-green-300 rounded-lg text-sm">
       {{ $page.props.flash.success }}
@@ -239,6 +248,8 @@ const props = defineProps({
   agents: Array,
   priorities: Array,
   myGroupIds: Array,
+  isBootstrap: Boolean,
+  isSiteAdmin: Boolean,
 })
 
 const activeTab = ref('groups')

src/Http/Controllers/TicketAttachmentController.php

@@ -31,7 +31,21 @@ class TicketAttachmentController extends Controller
 
         $request->validate([
             'file' => 'required|file|max:' . (self::MAX_SIZE_MB * 1024),
-            'message_id' => 'nullable|exists:ticket_messages,id',
+            // Bug #5: message_id must belong to THIS ticket, not any arbitrary message
+            'message_id' => [
+                'nullable',
+                'integer',
+                function ($attribute, $value, $fail) use ($ticket) {
+                    if ($value !== null) {
+                        $exists = \Dashboard\Ticketing\Models\TicketMessage::where('id', $value)
+                            ->where('ticket_id', $ticket->id)
+                            ->exists();
+                        if (!$exists) {
+                            $fail('The message does not belong to this ticket.');
+                        }
+                    }
+                },
+            ],
         ]);
 
         $file = $request->file('file');

src/Http/Controllers/TicketController.php

@@ -40,12 +40,40 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
             ->exists();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Filter messages for submitters — strip internal notes.
+     */
+    private function filterMessagesForRole($messages, bool $isAgent)
+    {
+        if ($isAgent) {
+            return $messages;
+        }
+        return $messages->filter(fn($m) => !$m->is_internal)->values();
+    }
+
     public function index(Request $request): Response
     {
         $user = Auth::user();
         $agentGroupIds = $this->agentGroupIds();
         $isAgent = count($agentGroupIds) > 0;
 
+        // If no groups exist at all, render a first-run / bootstrap state
+        $totalGroups = TicketingGroup::count();
+        if ($totalGroups === 0) {
+            return Inertia::render('Ticketing/Index', [
+                'tickets' => null,
+                'groups' => [],
+                'priorities' => [],
+                'projects' => [],
+                'isAgent' => $isAgent,
+                'filters' => [],
+                'ticketDetail' => null,
+                'detailAgents' => [],
+                'viewCounts' => ['all' => 0, 'mine' => 0, 'unassigned' => 0, 'pending' => 0, 'resolved' => 0],
+                'isBootstrap' => true,
+            ]);
+        }
+
         $baseQuery = Ticket::query();
 
         if ($isAgent) {
@@ -169,9 +197,14 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
 
                 $dt->submitter = $detailUsers[$dt->submitter_id] ?? null;
                 $dt->assignee = $dt->assigned_to ? ($detailUsers[$dt->assigned_to] ?? null) : null;
-                $dt->messages->each(function ($msg) use ($detailUsers) {
+
+                // Bug #2: Filter internal notes for non-agents
+                $visibleMessages = $this->filterMessagesForRole($dt->messages, $isAgent);
+                $visibleMessages->each(function ($msg) use ($detailUsers) {
                     $msg->author = $msg->user_id ? ($detailUsers[$msg->user_id] ?? null) : null;
                 });
+                $dt->setRelation('messages', $visibleMessages);
+
                 $ticketDetail = $dt;
 
                 if ($isAgent) {
@@ -191,6 +224,7 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
             'ticketDetail' => $ticketDetail,
             'detailAgents' => $detailAgents,
             'viewCounts' => $viewCounts,
+            'isBootstrap' => false,
         ]);
     }
 
@@ -201,11 +235,22 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
         $isAgent = count($agentGroupIds) > 0;
 
         $groups = TicketingGroup::when($isAgent, fn($q) => $q->whereIn('id', $agentGroupIds))->get();
+
+        // No groups at all? Show first-run state.
+        if ($groups->isEmpty() && TicketingGroup::count() === 0) {
+            return Inertia::render('Ticketing/Create', [
+                'groups' => [],
+                'priorities' => [],
+                'isBootstrap' => true,
+            ]);
+        }
+
         $priorities = PriorityLevel::orderBy('sort_order')->get();
 
         return Inertia::render('Ticketing/Create', [
             'groups' => $groups,
             'priorities' => $priorities,
+            'isBootstrap' => false,
         ]);
     }
 
@@ -219,6 +264,14 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
             'due_date' => 'nullable|date',
         ]);
 
+        // Bug #4: Ensure priority belongs to the chosen group (or is global)
+        if (!empty($validated['priority_id'])) {
+            $priority = PriorityLevel::find($validated['priority_id']);
+            if ($priority && $priority->group_id !== null && $priority->group_id != $validated['group_id']) {
+                abort(422, 'Priority does not belong to the selected group.');
+            }
+        }
+
         $group = TicketingGroup::findOrFail($validated['group_id']);
         $number = $group->nextTicketNumber();
 
@@ -244,13 +297,18 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
 
         $ticket->load(['group', 'priority', 'project', 'messages', 'attachments']);
 
-        $userIds = $ticket->messages->pluck('user_id')->filter()->unique();
+        // Bug #2: Filter internal notes for submitters
+        $visibleMessages = $this->filterMessagesForRole($ticket->messages, $isAgent);
+
+        $userIds = $visibleMessages->pluck('user_id')->filter()->unique();
         $users = DB::table('users')->whereIn('id', $userIds)->get(['id', 'name', 'email'])->keyBy('id');
 
-        $ticket->messages->each(function ($msg) use ($users) {
+        $visibleMessages->each(function ($msg) use ($users) {
             $msg->author = $msg->user_id ? ($users[$msg->user_id] ?? null) : null;
         });
 
+        $ticket->setRelation('messages', $visibleMessages);
+
         $agents = [];
         if ($isAgent) {
             $agentIds = TicketingAgentAccess::where('group_id', $ticket->group_id)->pluck('user_id');
@@ -296,6 +354,11 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
             abort(403);
         }
 
+        // Bug #3: Valid assignees are users with agent access to this group
+        $validAssigneeIds = TicketingAgentAccess::where('group_id', $ticket->group_id)
+            ->pluck('user_id')
+            ->toArray();
+
         $rules = [
             'title' => 'sometimes|required|string|max:255',
             'description' => 'sometimes|required|string',
@@ -303,13 +366,28 @@ class TicketController extends Controller
             'priority_id' => 'nullable|exists:ticketing_priority_levels,id',
             'due_date' => 'nullable|date',
             'project_id' => 'nullable|exists:ticketing_projects,id',
+            'assigned_to' => 'nullable|in:' . implode(',', $validAssigneeIds ?: [0]),
         ];
 
-        if ($this->isAgent($ticket->group_id)) {
+        $validated = $request->validate($rules);
-            $rules['assigned_to'] = 'nullable|exists:users,id';
+
+        // Bug #4: priority_id must belong to this group or be global
+        if (!empty($validated['priority_id'])) {
+            $priority = PriorityLevel::find($validated['priority_id']);
+            if ($priority && $priority->group_id !== null && $priority->group_id !== $ticket->group_id) {
+                abort(422, 'Priority does not belong to this ticket\'s group.');
+            }
         }
 
-        $ticket->update($request->validate($rules));
+        // Bug #4: project_id must belong to this group
+        if (!empty($validated['project_id'])) {
+            $project = TicketingProject::find($validated['project_id']);
+            if ($project && $project->group_id !== $ticket->group_id) {
+                abort(422, 'Project does not belong to this ticket\'s group.');
+            }
+        }
+
+        $ticket->update($validated);
 
         return back()->with('success', 'Ticket updated.');
     }

src/Http/Controllers/TicketingSettingsController.php

@@ -13,11 +13,38 @@ use Inertia\Response;
 
 class TicketingSettingsController extends Controller
 {
+    /**
+     * True if there are zero groups in the system (first-run bootstrap state).
+     */
+    private function isBootstrapState(): bool
+    {
+        return TicketingGroup::count() === 0;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * True if the current user is a site-level admin or super_admin.
+     */
+    private function isSiteAdmin(): bool
+    {
+        $role = Auth::user()?->role;
+        return in_array($role, ['admin', 'super_admin']);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Require either:
+     *  - existing agent access, OR
+     *  - bootstrap state + site admin (so first admin can seed the system)
+     */
     private function requireAgentAccess(): void
     {
         $hasAccess = TicketingAgentAccess::where('user_id', Auth::id())->exists();
+
         if (!$hasAccess) {
-            abort(403);
+            // Allow site admins through during bootstrap (no groups yet)
+            if ($this->isBootstrapState() && $this->isSiteAdmin()) {
+                return;
+            }
+            abort(403, 'You need agent access to manage ticketing settings.');
         }
     }
 
@@ -37,16 +64,26 @@ class TicketingSettingsController extends Controller
         $this->requireAgentAccess();
 
         $userId = Auth::id();
+        $isBootstrap = $this->isBootstrapState();
         $myGroupIds = TicketingAgentAccess::where('user_id', $userId)->pluck('group_id');
 
-        $groups = TicketingGroup::whereIn('id', $myGroupIds)->get();
+        $groups = $isBootstrap
+            ? collect()
+            : TicketingGroup::whereIn('id', $myGroupIds)->get();
 
-        $agents = TicketingAgentAccess::whereIn('group_id', $myGroupIds)->get();
+        $agents = $isBootstrap
+            ? collect()
+            : TicketingAgentAccess::whereIn('group_id', $myGroupIds)->get();
+
+        if ($agents->isNotEmpty()) {
             $agentUserIds = $agents->pluck('user_id')->unique();
             $agentUsers = \DB::table('users')->whereIn('id', $agentUserIds)->get(['id', 'name', 'email'])->keyBy('id');
             $agents->each(fn($a) => $a->user = $agentUsers[$a->user_id] ?? null);
+        }
 
-        $priorities = PriorityLevel::where(fn($q) => $q->whereNull('group_id')->orWhereIn('group_id', $myGroupIds))
+        $priorities = $isBootstrap
+            ? collect()
+            : PriorityLevel::where(fn($q) => $q->whereNull('group_id')->orWhereIn('group_id', $myGroupIds))
                 ->orderBy('sort_order')->get();
 
         return Inertia::render('Ticketing/Settings', [
@@ -54,12 +91,22 @@ class TicketingSettingsController extends Controller
             'agents' => $agents,
             'priorities' => $priorities,
             'myGroupIds' => $myGroupIds,
+            'isBootstrap' => $isBootstrap,
+            'isSiteAdmin' => $this->isSiteAdmin(),
         ]);
     }
 
     public function storeGroup(Request $request)
     {
+        // During bootstrap, any site admin can create the first group.
+        // After bootstrap, require existing agent access.
+        if ($this->isBootstrapState()) {
+            if (!$this->isSiteAdmin()) {
+                abort(403, 'Only site admins can create the first group.');
+            }
+        } else {
             $this->requireAgentAccess();
+        }
 
         $validated = $request->validate([
             'name' => 'required|string|max:100',
@@ -77,6 +124,25 @@ class TicketingSettingsController extends Controller
             'role' => 'manager',
         ]);
 
+        // Seed default priorities for this group if none exist globally
+        if (PriorityLevel::count() === 0) {
+            $defaults = [
+                ['name' => 'Low',    'color' => '#6b7280', 'sort_order' => 1],
+                ['name' => 'Medium', 'color' => '#3b82f6', 'sort_order' => 2],
+                ['name' => 'High',   'color' => '#f59e0b', 'sort_order' => 3],
+                ['name' => 'Urgent', 'color' => '#ef4444', 'sort_order' => 4],
+            ];
+            foreach ($defaults as $d) {
+                PriorityLevel::create([
+                    'group_id' => $group->id,
+                    'name' => $d['name'],
+                    'color' => $d['color'],
+                    'description' => null,
+                    'sort_order' => $d['sort_order'],
+                ]);
+            }
+        }
+
         return back()->with('success', 'Group created.');
     }
 
@@ -137,6 +203,11 @@ class TicketingSettingsController extends Controller
             'group_id' => 'nullable|exists:ticketing_groups,id',
         ]);
 
+        // If group_id given, caller must be manager of that group
+        if (!empty($validated['group_id'])) {
+            $this->requireManagerAccess($validated['group_id']);
+        }
+
         PriorityLevel::create($validated);
 
         return back()->with('success', 'Priority level created.');