# CVE-2022-44451: Open Babel uninitialized pointer dereference in MSI atom parser

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-44451-open-babel-uninitialized-pointer-dereference-in-msi-atom-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-2022-44451 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-07-01

Open Babel, a widely used library for converting chemistry and molecular data formats, contains a memory safety flaw in its MSI file parser. An attacker could provide a specially crafted chemistry file that, when opened by a user or processed by an automated service, could lead to a program crash or potentially allow the attacker to execute unauthorized code. This affects various software and web services that integrate Open Babel for molecular data processing.

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

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2022-44451 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2022-44451 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2022-44451?** 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-2022-44451?** 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-2022-44451 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2022-44451?** 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 exists in Open Babel's MSI (Materials Studio) format parser due to an uninitialized pointer dereference (CWE-824). The flaw is located in the atom handling logic of the MSI reader, where a malformed record causes the parser to access an atom pointer that has not been initialized. Exploitation requires a victim to open a crafted MSI file using the obabel CLI tool, the OBConversion API, or any of its language bindings (Python, Ruby, Java, etc.). While the GitHub advisory lists a CVSS of 7.8 (Local), the NVD entry notes that Talos assigned a 9.8 (Network) score; however, the primary vector involves processing untrusted input files. The issue is fixed in version 3.2.0.

## Affected products

- Open Babel openbabel <= 3.1.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2022-44451
- GHSA-jr2x-6qf6-q5mc
- PYSEC-2026-2784

## Timeline

- 2026-05-09: patched: Fix commit fa9a2d9a authored.
- 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-jr2x-6qf6-q5mc](https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/security/advisories/GHSA-jr2x-6qf6-q5mc)
- [https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/fa9a2d9a2eb75154b7a884dfe679ff41a8f9c547](https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/fa9a2d9a2eb75154b7a884dfe679ff41a8f9c547)
- [https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1669](https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1669)
- [https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1669](https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2022-1669)
- [https://api.github.com/repos/openbabel/openbabel/security-advisories/GHSA-jr2x-6qf6-q5mc](https://api.github.com/repos/openbabel/openbabel/security-advisories/GHSA-jr2x-6qf6-q5mc)

## 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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