Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Open Babel has a critical memory corruption flaw when handling CSR-format title data. A malicious file could cause the application using Open Babel to run attacker-controlled code. This matters most where Open Babel processes uploaded, emailed, or automated chemistry files.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for internet-facing, partner-facing, or automated file-processing systems. The business risk is arbitrary code execution from a malicious file, potentially affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Internal-only research workstations are still relevant if they process external files.
Technical view
CVE-2022-41793 is an out-of-bounds write in Open Babel 3.1.1 and master commit 530dbfa3, tied to CSR format title functionality. The CVE assigns CWE-120 and CVSS 3.1 score 9.8. Sources state a specially crafted malformed file can lead to arbitrary code execution.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in systems that use Open Babel 3.1.1, or builds from master commit 530dbfa3, to parse or convert CSR chemistry files. Risk increases when files come from untrusted users, external submissions, shared research portals, or automated pipelines.
Exploitation context
The provided bundle does not identify CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The public description supports malicious-file triggering and potential arbitrary code execution, but does not provide evidence of observed attacks. Treat exploitability as credible because the issue is critical and low complexity.
Researcher notes
The source evidence names Open Babel 3.1.1 and master commit 530dbfa3 only. Do not broaden affected versions without vendor confirmation. No patch version, workaround, or exploitation-in-the-wild evidence is included in the provided bundle.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Open Babel versions across applications, containers, servers, and research workstations.
- Prioritize systems that process untrusted CSR or chemistry files.
- Check Open Babel and Talos guidance for confirmed fixed versions or vendor mitigations.
- Isolate or disable untrusted file conversion workflows until remediation is confirmed.
- Restrict file-processing services with sandboxing, least privilege, and monitoring.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Open Babel 3.1.1 or master commit 530dbfa3 is present.
- Map upload, email, API, and batch workflows that pass files to Open Babel.
- Verify CSR files from untrusted sources cannot reach affected parsing paths.
- Review logs for crashes or abnormal behavior in Open Babel processing services.
- Record compensating controls where immediate remediation is not possible.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-120: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-41793 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.