CVE-2026-25503: iccDEV ICC Profile DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25503 Overview

CVE-2026-25503 is a type confusion vulnerability affecting iccDEV, a widely-used set of libraries and tools for interaction, manipulation, and application of ICC color management profiles. Prior to version 2.3.1.2, malformed ICC profiles could trigger undefined behavior when loading invalid icImageEncodingType values, resulting in denial of service conditions.

The vulnerability stems from improper type handling in the image encoding type enumeration, where the underlying type was insufficient to properly contain all possible 32-bit values that could be written in ICC profiles.

Critical Impact
Attackers can craft malicious ICC profile files that, when processed by applications using vulnerable iccDEV library versions, cause denial of service through undefined behavior triggered by type confusion.

Affected Products

iccDEV library versions prior to 2.3.1.2
Applications utilizing the IccProfLib component for ICC profile processing
Software integrating iccDEV for color management functionality

Discovery Timeline

2026-02-03 - CVE-2026-25503 published to NVD
2026-02-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25503

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-704 (Incorrect Type Conversion or Cast), specifically manifesting as a type confusion issue. The flaw exists in the CIccTagEmbeddedHeightImage::Validate() function within the IccProfLib component.

The core issue lies in the icImageEncodingType enumeration definition found in IccProfLib/icProfileHeader.h. The original implementation used a default enum type that could not adequately represent the full range of unsigned 32-bit values that ICC profiles may contain for image encoding type fields. When malformed profiles containing out-of-range values were loaded, the type mismatch triggered undefined behavior.

The vulnerability requires user interaction for exploitation—an attacker must convince a user to open a maliciously crafted ICC profile file using an application that leverages the vulnerable iccDEV library.

Root Cause

The root cause is an insufficient underlying type for the icImageEncodingType enumeration. ICC profile specifications allow for unsigned 32-bit values in the image encoding type field, but the original enum definition used a default type that could not properly represent all valid 32-bit values. This created a type confusion scenario when profiles contained values outside the expected range of icPngImageType (0x0000) and icTiffImageType (0x0001).

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no privileges but depending on user interaction. An attacker would:

Craft a malicious ICC profile file containing an invalid or out-of-range icImageEncodingType value
Distribute the malformed profile via email, web download, or embedded in image files
When a victim opens or processes the file using software built with vulnerable iccDEV versions, the type confusion triggers undefined behavior
This results in denial of service through application crash or hang

// Security patch from IccProfLib/icProfileHeader.h
// Source: https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV/commit/353e6517a31cb6ac9fdd44ac0103bc2fadb25175

 } icSparseMatrixType;
 
 
-/* Image encoding type encodings for embeddedHeightImageType and embeddedNormalImageType*/
-typedef enum {
+/** Image encoding type encodings for embeddedHeightImageType and embeddedNormalImageType*/
+/* Despite looking like a bool, it must be capable of holding an unsigned 32 bit value as written in profiles */
+typedef enum : icUInt32Number {
   icPngImageType                     = 0x0000,
   icTiffImageType                    = 0x0001,
+  
+/* Convenience Enum Definitions - Not defined in ICC specification */
+  icImageTypeMaximum                 = 0xffffffff,      /* maximum to define range */
 } icImageEncodingType;

The patch explicitly defines the enum's underlying type as icUInt32Number (unsigned 32-bit integer) and adds a maximum sentinel value (icImageTypeMaximum = 0xffffffff) to ensure the enum can properly represent all possible values in ICC profiles.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25503

Indicators of Compromise

Application crashes when processing ICC profile files, particularly those from untrusted sources
Unusual ICC profile files with abnormal size or structure in temporary directories
Error logs indicating validation failures in image encoding type processing
System instability when color management features are invoked

Detection Strategies

Monitor for application crashes associated with ICC profile loading operations
Implement file integrity monitoring for directories containing ICC profiles
Deploy endpoint detection rules that flag abnormal ICC profile processing behavior
Review application logs for repeated failures in color management library functions

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose logging for applications utilizing iccDEV library for color management
Monitor process behavior when handling ICC profile files from external sources
Track file access patterns to .icc and .icm profile files
Implement network monitoring for downloads of ICC profile files from suspicious domains

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25503

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade iccDEV to version 2.3.1.2 or later immediately
Audit all applications in your environment that utilize iccDEV for ICC profile processing
Review and restrict sources of ICC profile files in production environments
Implement application-level controls to validate ICC profiles before processing

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been patched in iccDEV version 2.3.1.2. The fix modifies the icImageEncodingType enumeration to explicitly use icUInt32Number as its underlying type, ensuring proper handling of all possible 32-bit values found in ICC profiles.

Technical references for the patch:

Workarounds

Restrict ICC profile file uploads and processing to trusted sources only
Implement application sandboxing for processes that handle ICC profiles
Use input validation to reject ICC profiles with suspicious characteristics before passing to iccDEV
Deploy endpoint protection to detect and block exploitation attempts

bash

# Configuration example: Check installed iccDEV version
# Verify your installation is updated to patched version
pkg-config --modversion iccDEV
# Expected output should be 2.3.1.2 or higher

# Update via package manager or rebuild from source
git clone https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV.git
cd iccDEV
git checkout v2.3.1.2
cmake -B build
cmake --build build
sudo cmake --install build