Summary
Open Babel has an out-of-bounds read in CIF transform3d::DescribeAsString
Summary
A memory-safety vulnerability in Open Babel's CIF file format parser
allowed an out-of-bounds read when reading a crafted input file.
Details
The flaw was in OpenBabel::transform3d::DescribeAsString. A malformed
symmetry-operation string caused the parser to read past the end of its
internal buffer while formatting the description.
Impact
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 CIF file with the obabel
tool, the OBConversion API, or any of the language bindings.
Affected versions
All releases up to and including 3.1.1.
Patched version
3.2.0 (released 2026-05-26).
Patch
Fix commit: https://github.com/openbabel/openbabel/commit/e23a224b
Tracked in #2862.
A minimized reproducer for this CVE is checked in attest/files/fuzz_regress/cve-2026-2704.cif and is exercised on every
CI build under ASAN+UBSAN by the fuzzregresstest harness.
Credit
Reported by Vedant Madane (@VedantMadane).
Impact
A read operation accesses a memory location beyond the intended buffer boundary. Typical impact: sensitive data disclosure or crash.
CVE-2026-2704 has a CVSS score of 4.4 (Low). The vector is requires local access, no privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.2.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-2704? CVE-2026-2704 is a low-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in openbabel (pip), affecting versions < 3.2.0. It is fixed in 3.2.0. A read operation accesses a memory location beyond the intended buffer boundary.
- How severe is CVE-2026-2704? CVE-2026-2704 has a CVSS score of 4.4 (Low). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of openbabel are affected by CVE-2026-2704? openbabel (pip) versions < 3.2.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-2704? Yes. CVE-2026-2704 is fixed in 3.2.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-2704 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-2704 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-2704 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-2704? Upgrade
openbabelto 3.2.0 or later.