Is CVE-2014-3120 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2014-3120 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on March 25, 2022.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2014-3120?

CVE-2014-3120 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH).

CVE-2014-3120

HIGH · CVSS 8.1CISA KEV: actively exploitedEPSS 88.6%EU EUVD: exploited

The default configuration in Elasticsearch before 1.2 enables dynamic scripting, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary MVEL expressions and Java code via the source parameter to _search. NOTE: this only violates the vendor's intended security policy if the user does not run Elasticsearch in its own independent virtual machine.

Key facts

CVSS score: 8.1 (v3.1)
Severity: HIGH
CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness (CWE): CWE-284
EPSS score: 88.6% (100th percentile)
In CISA KEV: Yes, added March 25, 2022
In EU EUVD: Yes (EUVD-2022-5879)
Published: July 28, 2014
NVD last modified: June 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

Elasticsearch Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Added to the KEV catalog on March 25, 2022; federal remediation due April 15, 2022.

EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD)

This vulnerability is also tracked by ENISA as EUVD-2022-5879 in the EU Vulnerability Database. ENISA flags it as known exploited. Last updated in EUVD on October 22, 2025.

View on the EU Vulnerability Database

Affected products

elastic / elasticsearch

References

http://bouk.co/blog/elasticsearch-rce/(Exploit)
http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/33370(Exploit)
http://www.osvdb.org/106949(Broken Link)
http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/elasticsearch/script_mvel_rce(Exploit, Third Party Advisory)
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/67731(Exploit)
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2014-3120(US Government Resource)
https://www.elastic.co/blog/logstash-1-4-3-released(Vendor Advisory)
https://www.elastic.co/community/security/(Vendor Advisory)
https://www.found.no/foundation/elasticsearch-security/#staying-safe-while-developing-with-elasticsearch(Exploit)

Last updated September 17, 2026 · Source: NVD, CISA KEV, FIRST.org EPSS

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