# CVE-2026-14820: Quiz and Survey Master user enumeration and brute-force bypass

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-14820-quiz-and-survey-master-user-enumeration-and-brute-force-bypass  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-27. Updated: 2026-07-27  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-14820 · Severity: info · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-07-27

The Quiz and Survey Master plugin for WordPress, which is used to create quizzes and surveys, contains a security flaw in its login functionality. This flaw allows unauthorized individuals to identify valid usernames and attempt to guess passwords without being blocked by standard security tools. If successful, an attacker could gain unauthorized access to user accounts, potentially compromising personal information or site integrity.

Technologies: [ExpressTech Quiz and Survey Master](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/quiz-and-survey-master). Vendors: [ExpressTech](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/expresstech).

## 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

## References

- [https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/22af8c73-8147-4205-8285-a35881f2d041/](https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/22af8c73-8147-4205-8285-a35881f2d041/)

## Related threats

- [ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master broken access control](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-125787-missing-authorization-vulnerability-in-expresstech-quiz-and)
- [ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master XSS in content injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-125786-improper-neutralization-of-script-related-html-tags-in-a-web)
- [ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master object injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-111408-deserialization-of-untrusted-data-vulnerability-in-expresstech)
- [ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master DOM-based XSS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-107862-improper-neutralization-of-input-during-web-page-generation)
- [ExpressTech Quiz And Survey Master object injection in deserialization](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-104392-deserialization-of-untrusted-data-vulnerability-in-expresstech)