CVE-2026-25584: iccDEV Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25584 Overview

CVE-2026-25584 is a stack-buffer-overflow vulnerability in iccDEV, a set of libraries and tools that allow for the interaction, manipulation, and application of ICC color management profiles. The vulnerability exists in the CIccTagFloatNum<>::GetValues() function and is triggered when processing a malformed ICC profile. This security flaw allows an out-of-bounds write on the stack, potentially leading to memory corruption, information disclosure, or arbitrary code execution when processing specially crafted ICC files.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, corrupt memory, or disclose sensitive information by tricking users into opening malicious ICC profile files.

Affected Products

iccDEV versions prior to 2.3.1.3
Applications and systems utilizing vulnerable iccDEV libraries for ICC color profile processing
Image processing software integrating unpatched iccDEV components

Discovery Timeline

2026-02-04 - CVE CVE-2026-25584 published to NVD
2026-02-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25584

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer). The flaw resides in the CIccTagFloatNum<>::GetValues() function, which fails to properly validate boundary conditions when processing ICC color profile data. When a specially crafted ICC file with malformed data is parsed, the function writes beyond the allocated stack buffer boundaries.

The local attack vector requires user interaction, meaning an attacker must convince a victim to open a malicious ICC profile file. However, ICC profiles are commonly embedded in image files and documents, making this attack vector particularly dangerous in environments where users routinely handle image files from untrusted sources.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is insufficient bounds checking in the CIccTagFloatNum<>::GetValues() function. When processing ICC profile tag data, the function does not adequately verify that the data being read fits within the allocated stack buffer. This allows a malformed ICC profile to specify data sizes that exceed buffer boundaries, resulting in a stack-based buffer overflow condition.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access and user interaction. An attacker would craft a malicious ICC profile file containing specially manipulated tag data designed to trigger the buffer overflow in CIccTagFloatNum<>::GetValues(). This malicious file could be:

Embedded within image files (JPEG, PNG, TIFF)
Distributed as standalone ICC profile files
Included in documents that reference ICC color profiles

When a victim opens or processes the malicious file using an application that utilizes the vulnerable iccDEV library, the stack-buffer-overflow is triggered, potentially allowing the attacker to overwrite return addresses or other critical stack data, leading to code execution.

The vulnerability mechanism involves improper memory boundary validation in the tag parsing routine. When the CIccTagFloatNum<>::GetValues() function processes floating-point numeric values from ICC profile tags, it fails to verify that the number of elements to be read does not exceed the allocated buffer capacity. Technical details and the specific fix can be found in the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-xjr3-v3vr-5794.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25584

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected crashes in applications processing ICC profile files
Abnormal memory access patterns when handling image files with embedded color profiles
Process crashes or exceptions originating from iccDEV library functions
Detection of ICC profile files with anomalous tag sizes or malformed header data

Detection Strategies

Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying stack-based buffer overflow exploitation attempts
Monitor for application crashes related to ICC profile processing that may indicate exploitation attempts
Implement file integrity monitoring to detect suspicious ICC profile files on systems
Use memory protection technologies such as ASLR, DEP, and stack canaries to detect and mitigate exploitation

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable crash dump collection for applications that process ICC profiles to analyze potential exploitation attempts
Monitor system logs for repeated application failures associated with image or color profile processing
Implement network monitoring for suspicious file transfers involving ICC profile formats
Utilize SentinelOne's behavioral AI to detect anomalous process behavior following ICC file processing

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25584

Immediate Actions Required

Update iccDEV to version 2.3.1.3 or later immediately
Audit systems and applications for the presence of vulnerable iccDEV library versions
Implement input validation and sandboxing for applications processing ICC profiles from untrusted sources
Consider restricting processing of ICC profiles from untrusted sources until patches are applied

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been patched in iccDEV version 2.3.1.3. The fix addresses the improper bounds checking in the CIccTagFloatNum<>::GetValues() function. Organizations should apply this update as soon as possible to remediate the vulnerability.

For detailed patch information, refer to:

Workarounds

Disable or restrict ICC profile processing in applications where this functionality is not critical
Implement application sandboxing to limit the impact of potential exploitation
Use file filtering to block or quarantine suspicious ICC profile files from untrusted sources
Deploy memory protection mechanisms (ASLR, DEP, stack canaries) to increase exploitation difficulty

bash

# Example: Verify iccDEV version to confirm patch status
# Check installed iccDEV library version
pkg-config --modversion iccDEV
# Expected output for patched version: 2.3.1.3 or higher