CVE-2026-25585 Overview
CVE-2026-25585 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the iccDEV library, a collection of tools and libraries for interacting with, manipulating, and applying ICC color management profiles. The vulnerability exists in the IccCmm.cpp file at line 5793 during ICC profile processing, where improper array bounds validation allows a malformed ICC profile to trigger memory access beyond array boundaries.
When exploited, this vulnerability can lead to memory disclosure of sensitive information or cause a segmentation fault, resulting in denial of service. The flaw affects versions prior to 2.3.1.3 and requires local access with user interaction (such as opening a malicious ICC profile file).
Critical Impact
Malformed ICC profiles can cause memory disclosure or application crashes through out-of-bounds memory access in the color management module.
Affected Products
- iccDEV versions prior to 2.3.1.3
- Applications and libraries that depend on iccDEV for ICC color profile processing
- Systems processing untrusted ICC profile files
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-02-04 - CVE-2026-25585 published to NVD
- 2026-02-05 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-25585
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking in the CIccXform3DLut::Apply() function within the iccDEV color management library. When processing ICC profiles, the code fails to properly validate array indices before accessing memory, allowing crafted profiles to trigger reads beyond allocated buffer boundaries.
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), which encompasses various memory safety issues including buffer overflows and out-of-bounds access. In this case, the specific manifestation is an out-of-bounds read that occurs when the input or output channel count exceeds expected limits during 3D LUT (Look-Up Table) processing.
The attack requires local access and user interaction—an attacker must convince a user to open or process a maliciously crafted ICC profile. Successful exploitation could leak sensitive memory contents or crash the application, potentially impacting systems that process ICC profiles from untrusted sources such as image editing software, print processing pipelines, or document converters.
Root Cause
The root cause is inadequate validation of the m_nInput and m_nOutput channel count values in the 3D LUT transformation logic. Prior to the patch, the code only verified that these values were at least 1, but did not enforce an upper bound. This allowed malformed profiles to specify arbitrarily large channel counts, leading to out-of-bounds memory access when the LUT transformation attempted to process more channels than the allocated arrays could accommodate.
Attack Vector
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious ICC profile with manipulated channel count values that exceed the expected array boundaries. The attack vector requires:
- Creating an ICC profile with invalid m_nInput or m_nOutput values exceeding the 15-channel limit
- Distributing the malicious profile through file sharing, email attachments, or embedding in documents/images
- Enticing a user to open or process the file with an application using the vulnerable iccDEV library
The exploitation results in the CIccXform3DLut::Apply() function reading memory beyond the allocated buffer, potentially disclosing sensitive memory contents or causing a segmentation fault.
if (m_nInput < 1 || m_nOutput < 1)
return false;
+ // and the current limit is for 15 channels
+ if (m_nInput > 15 || m_nOutput > 15)
+ return false;
+
icUInt64Number nNumPoints;
memset(m_nReserved2, 0, sizeof(m_nReserved2));
if (pGridPoints!=&m_GridPoints[0]) {
Source: GitHub Commit ba81cd9 - Security patch adding upper bound validation
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25585
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected application crashes or segmentation faults when processing ICC profiles
- Memory access violations in processes using iccDEV library components
- Crash reports indicating faults in IccCmm.cpp or IccTagLut.cpp modules
- Anomalous ICC profile files with unusually large channel count values
Detection Strategies
- Monitor for abnormal process terminations in applications that process ICC color profiles
- Implement file integrity checking for ICC profiles before processing, validating header values against expected ranges
- Deploy memory access monitoring tools to detect out-of-bounds read attempts in color management operations
- Use static analysis tools to identify applications linked against vulnerable iccDEV versions
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable crash dump collection for applications using iccDEV to capture exploitation attempts
- Monitor system logs for repeated segmentation faults related to image or document processing applications
- Implement network-level detection for ICC profiles with suspicious characteristics being transferred
- Establish baseline behavior for ICC profile processing applications to detect anomalous memory usage patterns
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25585
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade iccDEV to version 2.3.1.3 or later immediately
- Audit applications and dependencies that utilize iccDEV for ICC profile processing
- Restrict processing of ICC profiles from untrusted sources until patched
- Consider implementing additional input validation for ICC profile handling in your applications
Patch Information
The vulnerability has been addressed in iccDEV version 2.3.1.3. The fix adds proper upper bound validation for input and output channel counts, limiting them to a maximum of 15 channels. This prevents malformed ICC profiles from triggering out-of-bounds memory access.
For detailed patch information, refer to:
Workarounds
- Implement strict input validation for ICC profiles before processing, rejecting profiles with channel counts exceeding 15
- Use sandboxed environments for processing ICC profiles from untrusted sources
- Deploy application-level controls to block or quarantine suspicious ICC profile files
- Consider disabling ICC color management features temporarily if immediate patching is not possible
# Configuration example
# Verify iccDEV version to ensure patched version is installed
# Check library version in your build environment
grep -r "ICC_VERSION" /path/to/iccDEV/include/
# Example: Rebuilding application with patched iccDEV
git clone https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV.git
cd iccDEV
git checkout v2.3.1.3
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make && make install
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
