CVE-2022-46290Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Code execution via unchecked ORCA coordinate loop

Published Jul 21, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Out-of-bounds write in Open Babel 3.1.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying a malformed ORCA file. OrcaOutputFormat::ReadMolecule allocates confCoords from the file's nAtoms value, then writes every four-token coordinate row without checking the row index against that allocation. Exploitation requires parsing through obabel, OBConversion, or a language binding; remote reachability exists when an embedding service accepts untrusted files.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in Open Babel 3.1.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying a malformed ORCA file. OrcaOutputFormat::ReadMolecule allocates confCoords from the file's nAtoms value, then writes every four-token coordinate row without checking the row index against that allocation. Exploitation requires parsing through obabel, OBConversion, or a language binding; remote reachability exists when an embedding service accepts untrusted files.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-46290
Published
Jul 21, 2023
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Open Babel
Product
Open Babel
Classifications
CWE-787, CWE-122, T1204.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 21, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=3.1.1
  2. Affected versionversion=master commit 530dbfa3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Open Babel · Open Babelversion=3.1.1; version=master commit 530dbfa3

Published CVSS scores

9.8Cisco TalosCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Open Babel GitHub Security AdvisoryCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
CWE-122Heap-based Buffer Overflow
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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