Open Babel has a NULL pointer dereference in CDXML OBAtom::GetExplicitValence
A memory-safety vulnerability in Open Babel's CDXML file format parser
caused a NULL pointer dereference when reading a crafted input file.
The flaw was in OBAtom::GetExplicitValence as called from the CDXML
parser. A malformed fragment caused the parser to invoke the method
on a NULL atom pointer.
Open Babel is a C++ library and CLI used to read and write chemistry
file formats; it is shipped by Linux distributions and embedded in
services that may parse untrusted input. Triggering this vulnerability
requires the victim to open a malicious CDXML file with the obabel
tool, the OBConversion API, or any of the language bindings (Python,
Ruby, Java, R, Perl, C#, PHP).
All releases up to and including 3.1.1.
3.2.0 (released 2026-05-26).
Fix commit: https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/e23a224b
Tracked in #2862.
A minimized reproducer for this CVE is checked in under
test/files/fuzz_regress/ and is exercised on every CI build under
ASAN+UBSAN by the fuzzregresstest harness.
Reported by Vedant Madane (@VedantMadane) via VulDB.
This issue can be reached over the network, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs no privileges on the target. A user must be tricked into taking some action. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability low.
The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
CVE-2026-3408 is classified as CWE-404: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release. A resource is not released correctly after use, leaving it locked, leaked or in an inconsistent state.
CVE-2026-3408 is recorded against 2 packages.
Published on 2 March 2026 and last revised on 17 June 2026. A public exploit is known to exist, which raises the urgency of patching considerably. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.
github.com
github.com
github.com
github.com
vuldb.com
vuldb.com
vuldb.com
open-babel has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:
These advisories are the same class of weakness (CWE-404: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release) in other software:
Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:
Details
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Affected Packages
| Software | From version | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| open-babel | — | 3.1.1 |
| openbabel | — | 3.2.0 |
References
Similar Threats
Exploit Protection
CVE-2026-3408 carries CVSS 4.3 Medium rating and a public exploit already exists. BotEraser checks your installation against this and other known CVE records, and blocks IPs associated with exploit activity.
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ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.
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