CVE-2026-30984: iccDEV Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2026-30984 Overview

iccDEV provides a set of libraries and tools for working with ICC color management profiles. A heap out-of-bounds read vulnerability exists in the CIccCalculatorFunc::ApplySequence() function in iccDEV versions prior to 2.3.1.5. This memory safety issue can cause an application crash when processing maliciously crafted ICC profile data, leading to a denial of service condition.

Critical Impact

Applications using iccDEV for color management profile processing may crash when handling specially crafted ICC profiles, potentially causing denial of service. The vulnerability allows information disclosure through out-of-bounds memory reads.

Affected Products

• iccDEV versions prior to 2.3.1.5
• Applications and libraries integrating iccDEV for ICC color profile processing
• Software using CIccCalculatorFunc::ApplySequence() functionality

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-10 - CVE CVE-2026-30984 published to NVD
• 2026-03-11 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-30984

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read), a memory safety issue that occurs when the software reads data past the end or before the beginning of an intended buffer. In the context of iccDEV, the CIccCalculatorFunc::ApplySequence() function fails to properly validate buffer boundaries when processing ICC profile calculator sequences.

The local attack vector requires user interaction, typically involving the victim opening or processing a malicious ICC color profile. When triggered, the out-of-bounds read can expose sensitive heap memory contents or cause immediate application termination due to accessing invalid memory addresses.

Root Cause

The root cause lies in insufficient bounds checking within the CIccCalculatorFunc::ApplySequence() function. When processing calculator function sequences in ICC profiles, the function accesses heap memory without adequately verifying that read operations remain within allocated buffer boundaries. This allows crafted profile data to trigger reads beyond the heap buffer, accessing unintended memory regions.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access and user interaction. An attacker must craft a malicious ICC color profile containing specially constructed calculator function sequences. When a victim opens an image or document containing the malicious profile, or when an application attempts to process the profile, the vulnerable ApplySequence() function reads beyond the allocated heap buffer.

The attack scenario typically involves:

1. Attacker creates a malicious ICC profile with crafted calculator sequence data
2. The profile is embedded in an image file or distributed as a standalone .icc file
3. Victim opens the file with an application using vulnerable iccDEV library
4. The CIccCalculatorFunc::ApplySequence() function attempts to process the malicious data
5. Out-of-bounds heap read occurs, causing application crash or potential information disclosure

For technical details on the vulnerability mechanism, see the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-g9w6-5xm9-v5xj and the related GitHub Issue #623.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-30984

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected application crashes when processing ICC color profiles
• Crash dumps indicating heap read violations in iccDEV library functions
• Memory access violations originating from CIccCalculatorFunc::ApplySequence() calls
• Unusual ICC profile files with abnormal calculator sequence structures

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for application crashes with stack traces pointing to iccDEV library components
• Implement file integrity monitoring for applications known to use iccDEV
• Deploy memory sanitizers (AddressSanitizer, Valgrind) in development environments to detect out-of-bounds reads
• Audit software inventory for applications using iccDEV versions prior to 2.3.1.5

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable crash reporting and analysis for applications processing ICC profiles
• Monitor system logs for repeated segmentation faults in image processing applications
• Track memory access violations in applications utilizing color management functionality
• Implement runtime application self-protection (RASP) to detect anomalous memory access patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-30984

Immediate Actions Required

• Update iccDEV to version 2.3.1.5 or later immediately
• Identify all applications and systems using vulnerable iccDEV versions
• Implement input validation for ICC profile files before processing
• Consider temporarily restricting processing of untrusted ICC profiles until patches are applied

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been fixed in iccDEV version 2.3.1.5. The patch addresses the boundary checking issue in the CIccCalculatorFunc::ApplySequence() function. Organizations should update to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability.

• GitHub Release v2.3.1.5 - Official patched release
• GitHub Pull Request #635 - Patch implementation details

Workarounds

• Restrict processing of ICC profiles from untrusted sources until patch is applied
• Implement application sandboxing to limit impact of potential crashes
• Deploy file filtering at network boundaries to block suspicious ICC profile files
• Enable heap protection mechanisms (ASLR, DEP) to reduce exploitation risk

# Verify iccDEV version to confirm patch status
# Check if using vulnerable version (prior to 2.3.1.5)
pkg-config --modversion iccDEV 2>/dev/null || echo "Package not found via pkg-config"

# Alternative: Check library version in application dependencies
find /usr/lib /usr/local/lib -name "*icc*" -type f 2>/dev/null

# Update to patched version via source
git clone https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV.git
cd iccDEV
git checkout v2.3.1.5