Quick answers
- Is CVE-2026-14820 exploited in the wild?
- No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-14820 being exploited in the wild.
- How severe is CVE-2026-14820?
- Informational severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 27 July 2026.
- Which products and versions are affected?
- ExpressTech Quiz and Survey Master < 11.1.3.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-14820?
- No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
- How is CVE-2026-14820 attacked?
- It is attacked over the network, in a software library.
- Am I affected by CVE-2026-14820?
- Check whether you run ExpressTech Quiz and Survey Master at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.
Technical details
The vulnerability exists in the `qsm_ajax_login` action within the Quiz and Survey Master plugin. The application returns distinct error messages for non-existent usernames versus incorrect passwords, enabling unauthenticated user enumeration. Furthermore, the plugin does not trigger standard WordPress login hooks (like `wp_login_failed`) or implement internal rate limiting, allowing attackers to perform high-speed brute-force attacks that bypass common security plugins. A successful password match returns a JSON success response without creating a session, acting as a 'password oracle.' The issue is resolved in version 11.1.3.
Affected products
- ExpressTech Quiz and Survey Master (QSM) < 11.1.3
Timeline
- 2026-07-06: disclosed
- 2026-07-06: advisory
- 2026-07-27: other: NVD Published Date