GHSA-JG3H-PV7C-4F9C

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-07-01 17:51 – Updated: 2026-07-01 17:51
VLAI
Summary
Open Babel has out-of-bounds write in Gaussian translationVectors[]
Details

Summary

A memory-safety vulnerability in Open Babel's Gaussian output parser allowed an out-of-bounds write into the translationVectors[] array when reading a crafted input file.

Details

The Gaussian reader stored periodic-cell translation vectors into a fixed-size translationVectors[] array. A malformed input could push more vectors than the array had slots, causing a write past the end of the array. This is one of five translationVectors[] OOB writes across formats (Gaussian, MOPAC, MOPAC IN, MSI) reported in the TALOS 2022 batch.

Impact

Open Babel is a C++ library and CLI used to read and write chemistry file formats; it is shipped by Linux distributions and embedded in services that may parse untrusted input. Triggering this vulnerability requires the victim to open a malicious Gaussian output file with the obabel tool, the OBConversion API, or any of the language bindings (Python, Ruby, Java, R, Perl, C#, PHP).

Affected versions

All releases up to and including 3.1.1.

Patched version

3.2.0 (released 2026-05-26).

Patch

Fix commit: https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/40e85213

A minimized reproducer for this CVE is checked in under test/files/fuzz_regress/ and is exercised on every CI build under ASAN+UBSAN by the fuzzregresstest harness.

Credit

Reported by Cisco TALOS.

Severity
7.8 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "PyPI",
        "name": "openbabel"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "3.2.0"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2022-46291"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119",
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-07-01T17:51:06Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "### Summary\n\nA memory-safety vulnerability in Open Babel\u0027s Gaussian output parser\nallowed an out-of-bounds write into the `translationVectors[]` array\nwhen reading a crafted input file.\n\n### Details\n\nThe Gaussian reader stored periodic-cell translation vectors into a\nfixed-size `translationVectors[]` array. A malformed input could push\nmore vectors than the array had slots, causing a write past the end\nof the array. This is one of five `translationVectors[]` OOB writes\nacross formats (Gaussian, MOPAC, MOPAC IN, MSI) reported in the\nTALOS 2022 batch.\n\n### Impact\n\nOpen Babel is a C++ library and CLI used to read and write chemistry\nfile formats; it is shipped by Linux distributions and embedded in\nservices that may parse untrusted input. Triggering this vulnerability\nrequires the victim to open a malicious Gaussian output file with the\n`obabel` tool, the `OBConversion` API, or any of the language\nbindings (Python, Ruby, Java, R, Perl, C#, PHP).\n\n### Affected versions\n\nAll releases up to and including 3.1.1.\n\n### Patched version\n\n3.2.0 (released 2026-05-26).\n\n### Patch\n\nFix commit: https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/40e85213\n\nA minimized reproducer for this CVE is checked in under\n`test/files/fuzz_regress/` and is exercised on every CI build under\nASAN+UBSAN by the `fuzzregresstest` harness.\n\n### Credit\n\nReported by Cisco TALOS.",
  "id": "GHSA-jg3h-pv7c-4f9c",
  "modified": "2026-07-01T17:51:06Z",
  "published": "2026-07-01T17:51:06Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/security/advisories/GHSA-jg3h-pv7c-4f9c"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-46291"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/40e852138f21d586b7ccdce6329e7b23a87168bb"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1666"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1666"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Open Babel has out-of-bounds write in Gaussian translationVectors[]"
}



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