# CVE-2022-43607: Open Babel out-of-bounds write in MOL2 attribute/value parser

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-43607-open-babel-out-of-bounds-write-in-mol2-attribute-value-parser  
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-2022-43607 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-07-01

Open Babel, a widely used library for converting chemistry and molecular data files, contains a memory safety flaw in its MOL2 file parser. If a user or automated service processes a specially crafted chemistry file, an attacker could potentially execute malicious code or crash the application. This affects researchers and organizations using Open Babel's command-line tools or its programming interfaces in Python, Java, and other languages.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2022-43607 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2022-43607 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2022-43607?** 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-2022-43607?** 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-2022-43607 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2022-43607?** 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

An out-of-bounds write vulnerability exists in Open Babel's MOL2 format parser within the `ReadMolecule` function in `mol2format.cpp`. The flaw is located in the attribute/value parsing logic where `sscanf` is used to read data into fixed-size 32-byte buffers (`attr` and `val`) without sufficient bounds checking. By providing a crafted MOL2 file with over-long attribute or value strings, an attacker can overflow these buffers. This can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability can be triggered via the `obabel` CLI tool, the `OBConversion` API, or any language bindings. A patch is available in version 3.2.0.

## Affected products

- Open Babel Open Babel <= 3.1.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2022-43607
- GHSA-vjg6-gm8m-v5g6
- PYSEC-2026-2792

## Timeline

- 2022-10-24: other: Vulnerability discovered/assigned
- 2023-07-21: disclosed: Initial Talos report published
- 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-vjg6-gm8m-v5g6](https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/security/advisories/GHSA-vjg6-gm8m-v5g6)
- [https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/4110d59ada242139fb02098e1e1faff57ac4dd51](https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/4110d59ada242139fb02098e1e1faff57ac4dd51)
- [https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1664](https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1664)
- [https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1664](https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1664)
- [https://api.github.com/repos/openbabel/openbabel/security-advisories/GHSA-vjg6-gm8m-v5g6](https://api.github.com/repos/openbabel/openbabel/security-advisories/GHSA-vjg6-gm8m-v5g6)

## 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)
- [Open Babel out-of-bounds write in MSI parser translationVectors](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-46295-open-babel-out-of-bounds-write-in-msi-parser-translationvectors)
- [Open Babel out-of-bounds write in MOPAC input parser](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-46294-open-babel-out-of-bounds-write-in-mopac-input-parser)
- [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)
- [Open Babel out-of-bounds write in Gaussian translationVectors](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-46291-open-babel-out-of-bounds-write-in-gaussian-translationvectors)