# CVE-2022-42885: Open Babel uninitialized pointer dereference in GRO residue parser

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-42885-open-babel-uninitialized-pointer-dereference-in-gro-residue  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-07-01. Updated: 2026-07-01  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2022-42885 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-07-01

Open Babel, a widely used chemistry data conversion library, contains a memory safety flaw in its GRO file format parser. If a user or automated service processes a specially crafted chemistry file, it could lead to a program crash or potentially allow an attacker to execute unauthorized code. This affects researchers and organizations using Open Babel to handle untrusted molecular data files.

Technologies: [openbabel (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/openbabel). Vendors: [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2022-42885 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2022-42885 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2022-42885?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 1 July 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** openbabel (PyPI) < 3.2.0, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.2.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2022-42885?** Yes. openbabel (PyPI): upgrade to 3.2.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2022-42885 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2022-42885?** Check whether you run openbabel (PyPI) 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.

## How to fix

- openbabel (PyPI): upgrade to 3.2.0 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "openbabel>=3.2.0"
  ```


## Technical details

A memory-safety vulnerability (CWE-824) exists in Open Babel's GRO reader due to improper residue handling. A malformed record in a GRO file causes the parser to access a residue pointer that has not been initialized. Exploitation requires a victim to open a crafted GRO file using the 'obabel' CLI tool, the OBConversion API, or any of the supported language bindings (Python, Java, etc.). While primarily leading to a denial-of-service (crash), some reports suggest it could potentially lead to arbitrary code execution. The issue is fixed in version 3.2.0.

## Affected products

- Open Babel Open Babel <= 3.1.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2022-42885
- GHSA-mw5r-wq2m-397c
- PYSEC-2026-2787

## Timeline

- 2026-05-26: patched: Version 3.2.0 released
- 2026-07-01: advisory: GitHub Advisory published

## References

- [https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/security/advisories/GHSA-mw5r-wq2m-397c](https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/security/advisories/GHSA-mw5r-wq2m-397c)
- [https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/fa9a2d9a2eb75154b7a884dfe679ff41a8f9c547](https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/fa9a2d9a2eb75154b7a884dfe679ff41a8f9c547)
- [https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1668](https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1668)
- [https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1668](https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1668)
- [https://api.github.com/repos/openbabel/openbabel/security-advisories/GHSA-mw5r-wq2m-397c](https://api.github.com/repos/openbabel/openbabel/security-advisories/GHSA-mw5r-wq2m-397c)

## Related threats

- [Open Babel out-of-bounds write in MOPAC output parser](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-46292-open-babel-out-of-bounds-write-in-mopac-output-parser)
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- [Open Babel out-of-bounds write in MOPAC output parser](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-46293-open-babel-out-of-bounds-write-in-mopac-output-parser)
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