Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Open Babel can be made to corrupt memory while reading a malformed MOPAC Cartesian chemical file. If an exposed service automatically processes files with vulnerable Open Babel versions, this could allow arbitrary code execution in that service context.
Executive priority
Treat as urgent for internet-facing or partner-facing file ingestion services using Open Babel. The business risk is service compromise through a file parser, but evidence of active exploitation is not provided in the source bundle.
Technical view
CVE-2022-46294 is a CWE-119 out-of-bounds write in Open Babel translationVectors parsing. Sources name Open Babel 3.1.1 and master commit 530dbfa3, specifically affecting the MOPAC Cartesian format. Talos reports specially crafted malformed files can lead to arbitrary code execution.
Likely exposure
Highest exposure is in web applications, APIs, batch pipelines, or research platforms that accept molecular structure files and pass them to Open Babel. Local desktop use is lower urgency unless users open untrusted files.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or public active exploitation evidence. The reported path is attacker-supplied malicious file content processed by vulnerable Open Babel parsing logic.
Researcher notes
The evidence identifies affected versions and impact, but the bundle does not include a fixed version, patch commit, or active exploitation report. Avoid assuming exploit availability beyond Talos' statement that crafted malformed files can trigger the issue.
Mitigation direction
- Identify and prioritize systems using Open Babel 3.1.1 or commit 530dbfa3.
- Check Open Babel and Talos guidance for patched versions or vendor-recommended remediation.
- Restrict or disable untrusted MOPAC Cartesian file processing where operationally possible.
- Run file conversion workloads with least privilege and process isolation.
- Limit upload sources and add strict file handling around molecular conversion services.
Validation and detection
- Inventory applications, containers, and pipelines that include Open Babel.
- Confirm whether MOPAC Cartesian files are accepted or auto-processed.
- Trace public upload paths, APIs, and queues feeding Open Babel conversion.
- Review vendor release notes for fixed versions before declaring remediation complete.
- Check conversion service logs for unexplained crashes during malformed file handling.
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-119: 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-2022-46294 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.
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.