Question2Answer through 1.8.8 contains a session invalidation vulnerability that allows attackers with a previously obtained remember-me cookie to retain authenticated access by exploiting the forgot-password reset flow's failure to clear the sessioncode field in qa-include/app/users-edit.php. While the normal password-change flow in qa-include/pages/account.php explicitly clears the sessioncode to invalidate persistent qa_session cookies, the forgot-password handler qa_finish_reset_user() omits
Question2Answer through 1.8.8 contains a session invalidation vulnerability that allows attackers with a previously obtained remember-me cookie to retain authenticated access by exploiting the forgot-password reset flow's failure to clear the sessioncode field in qa-include/app/users-edit.php. While the normal password-change flow in qa-include/pages/account.php explicitly clears the sessioncode to invalidate persistent qa_session cookies, the forgot-password handler qa_finish_reset_user() omits this step, allowing any valid persistent cookie issued before the reset to continue authenticating the account after the password reset completes.
Why this VPI (explainable, experimental)
VPI breakdown
| Impact | 91.00 |
| Exploitation signal(No additional exploitation signal) | ×1.00 |
| VPI | 91.00 |
VPI formula vpi-v1
| Source | CVSS Version | Base Score | Severity | Vector String | Assessment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVDNIST | 4.0 | 9.1 | CRITICAL | CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X | 07/23/2026 |
| NVDNIST | 3.1 |
| 7.4 |
HIGH |
| CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
| 07/23/2026 |