CVE-2026-21503
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in iccDEV allows attackers to trigger undefined behavior by exploiting a null pointer passed to memcpy() in CIccTagSparseMatrixArray. This could potentially lead to crashes, memory corruption, or arbitrary code execution. Anyone using iccDEV libraries or tools for ICC color management profile processing is affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- iccDEV libraries and tools
📦 What is this software?
Iccdev by Color
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
Application crash or denial of service due to memory corruption, potentially causing data loss in color processing workflows.
If Mitigated
Controlled crash with minimal impact if proper memory protections and sandboxing are implemented.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires crafting malicious ICC profiles and getting them processed by vulnerable software. No public exploits have been reported.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.3.1.2
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV/security/advisories/GHSA-h554-qrfh-53gx
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update iccDEV to version 2.3.1.2 or later. 2. Recompile any applications using iccDEV libraries. 3. Restart affected services or applications.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input validation and sanitization
allImplement strict validation of ICC profile inputs before processing
Memory protection controls
allEnable ASLR, DEP, and other memory protection mechanisms
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate systems using iccDEV in network segments with restricted access
- Implement application allowlisting to prevent execution of untrusted ICC processing
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if iccDEV version is below 2.3.1.2 in installed packages or linked librariesCheck Version:
iccdev --version or check package manager (apt list iccdev, yum list iccdev, etc.)Verify Fix Applied:
Verify iccDEV version is 2.3.1.2 or higher and test with known safe ICC profiles📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crashes with segmentation faults
- Memory access violation errors
- Unexpected termination of ICC processing applications
Network Indicators:
- Unusual uploads of ICC profile files
- Multiple failed processing attempts
SIEM Query:
source="application_logs" AND ("segmentation fault" OR "access violation" OR "null pointer") AND process="*icc*"🔗 References
- https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV/commit/55259a6395c4f6124b5d0e38469c77412926bd3d
- https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV/issues/367
- https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV/pull/417
- https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV/security/advisories/GHSA-h554-qrfh-53gx
