The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-21495 affects the iccDEV library, a set of tools and libraries developed by the International Color Consortium for handling ICC color profiles. Specifically, the flaw exists in the TIFF image reader component prior to version 2.3.1.2. The root cause is improper input validation (CWE-20) leading to a division by zero error (CWE-369) when processing crafted TIFF images. This can cause the affected application to crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability requires local access (AV:L) and user interaction (UI:R) to trigger, meaning an attacker must convince a user to open or process a malicious TIFF file. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity, but availability is affected due to application crashes. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5, reflecting medium severity. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the issue has been publicly disclosed and patched in iccDEV version 2.3.1.2. Organizations relying on iccDEV for color profile management in image processing pipelines should upgrade promptly to avoid potential service interruptions.

For European organizations, the primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential for denial of service in applications that utilize iccDEV for ICC color profile processing, particularly when handling TIFF images. This could disrupt workflows in industries such as digital media, graphic design, printing, and publishing, where color accuracy and image processing are critical. Although the vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, service availability interruptions could lead to operational delays and productivity losses. Organizations that allow users to open or process untrusted TIFF images are at higher risk. Since exploitation requires local access and user interaction, the threat is somewhat limited but still relevant in environments where malicious files could be introduced, such as via email attachments or file sharing platforms. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the public disclosure increases the likelihood of future exploitation attempts if patches are not applied.

To mitigate CVE-2026-21495, European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Upgrade all instances of iccDEV to version 2.3.1.2 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. 2) Implement strict file validation and filtering controls to block or quarantine untrusted TIFF files before processing, especially in user-facing applications. 3) Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious TIFF images, particularly from unknown sources. 4) Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques for software that processes ICC profiles to contain potential crashes and prevent broader system impact. 5) Monitor logs and application behavior for crashes or anomalies related to TIFF image processing to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 6) Coordinate with software vendors and update related image processing tools that may embed or rely on iccDEV to ensure they incorporate the patched library version. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling the attack vector (malicious TIFF files) and ensuring rapid patch deployment.