CVE-2026-30987: iccDEV Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2026-30987 Overview

CVE-2026-30987 is a stack buffer overflow vulnerability in iccDEV, a set of libraries and tools for working with ICC color management profiles. Prior to version 2.3.1.5, there is a stack buffer overflow in the CIccTagNum<>::GetValues() function that can cause stack memory corruption or application crash. This vulnerability has been classified under CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input).

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation of this stack buffer overflow could allow an attacker to corrupt stack memory, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service through application crashes. The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction with a malicious ICC profile.

Affected Products

• iccDEV versions prior to 2.3.1.5
• Applications and systems utilizing iccDEV libraries for ICC color profile processing
• Color management workflows dependent on vulnerable iccDEV components

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-10 - CVE-2026-30987 published to NVD
• 2026-03-11 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-30987

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking in the CIccTagNum<>::GetValues() template function within the iccDEV library. When processing ICC color profile data, the function fails to properly validate the size of input data before copying it to a stack-allocated buffer. This classic buffer overflow condition allows malformed ICC profiles to write beyond the intended buffer boundaries, corrupting adjacent stack memory.

ICC color management profiles are widely used in imaging applications, print workflows, and color calibration systems. The local attack vector requires a user to open or process a specially crafted ICC profile file, making this vulnerability exploitable through social engineering or malicious file distribution.

Root Cause

The root cause is a classic CWE-120 vulnerability: buffer copy without checking the size of input. The CIccTagNum<>::GetValues() function processes numeric tag values from ICC profiles without validating that the incoming data fits within the allocated stack buffer. When a malicious ICC profile contains oversized numeric tag data, the function copies this data directly to the stack buffer, overflowing its bounds and corrupting adjacent stack frames.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access with user interaction. An attacker would need to craft a malicious ICC color profile containing specially formatted numeric tag data designed to trigger the overflow in CIccTagNum<>::GetValues(). The victim would then need to open or process this malicious profile using an application linked against the vulnerable iccDEV library.

The exploitation scenario typically involves:

1. Creating a malicious ICC profile with oversized numeric tag values
2. Distributing the profile through email attachments, downloads, or compromised color management workflows
3. Victim opens or processes the profile with vulnerable iccDEV-based software
4. Stack buffer overflow occurs, potentially leading to code execution or crash

For technical implementation details, refer to the GitHub Issue Report and the GitHub Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-30987

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes in applications processing ICC color profiles
• Stack corruption errors or segmentation faults in iccDEV-linked applications
• Anomalous ICC profile files with unusually large numeric tag sections
• Memory access violations originating from CIccTagNum<>::GetValues() function calls

Detection Strategies

• Monitor application crash logs for stack-related errors in ICC profile processing workflows
• Implement file integrity monitoring for ICC profile directories in production environments
• Deploy endpoint detection rules to identify malformed ICC profiles with oversized tag data
• Use static analysis tools to identify applications linking against vulnerable iccDEV versions

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable crash dump collection for applications utilizing iccDEV libraries
• Monitor for unusual ICC profile file creation or modification in sensitive directories
• Implement network monitoring for ICC profile transfers from untrusted sources
• Configure SentinelOne agents to detect exploitation attempts targeting memory corruption vulnerabilities

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-30987

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade iccDEV to version 2.3.1.5 or later immediately
• Audit all applications and systems for dependencies on vulnerable iccDEV versions
• Restrict processing of ICC profiles from untrusted sources until patching is complete
• Enable enhanced monitoring on systems that process ICC color profiles

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been fixed in iccDEV version 2.3.1.5. The fix addresses the bounds checking issue in the CIccTagNum<>::GetValues() function. Organizations should update to this version or later as soon as possible.

Patch resources:

• GitHub Release v2.3.1.5
• GitHub Pull Request with Fix

Workarounds

• Implement input validation to reject ICC profiles from untrusted or unknown sources
• Deploy application sandboxing for ICC profile processing workflows to contain potential exploitation
• Use compiler-based stack protection mechanisms (stack canaries, ASLR) as defense-in-depth measures
• Consider temporarily disabling ICC profile processing functionality in critical applications until patching is complete

# Verify iccDEV version to confirm patched status
# Check library version in package manager
pkg-config --modversion iccDEV

# For systems with vulnerable versions, update to 2.3.1.5 or later
# Example: Building from source with the fixed version
git clone https://github.com/InternationalColorConsortium/iccDEV.git
cd iccDEV
git checkout v2.3.1.5
cmake -B build
cmake --build build
sudo cmake --install build