CVE-2026-21505 is a vulnerability in the InternationalColorConsortium's iccDEV library, which provides tools and libraries for handling ICC color management profiles. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation (CWE-20) and specifically relates to an invalid enum value that causes undefined behavior in versions prior to 2.3.1.2. This can lead to a denial of service (DoS) condition, impacting the availability of applications or systems that rely on iccDEV for color profile manipulation. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or integrity, as it does not allow unauthorized data access or modification. Exploitation requires local access (AV:L) and user interaction (UI:R), with no privileges required (PR:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component without affecting other system components. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5, indicating medium severity. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the issue has been publicly disclosed and patched in version 2.3.1.2. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) and CWE-843 (Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type or Object State), highlighting the root cause as inadequate validation of input enum values leading to unstable behavior.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2026-21505 is the potential for denial of service in systems utilizing iccDEV for ICC color profile processing. This can disrupt workflows in industries heavily dependent on accurate color management, such as printing, publishing, graphic design, photography, and manufacturing sectors that rely on color precision. Service interruptions could lead to operational delays, increased costs, and reputational damage if client deliverables are affected. Since the vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, remote exploitation risk is low, but insider threats or compromised user accounts could trigger the issue. The lack of confidentiality or integrity impact reduces the risk of data breaches, but availability degradation can still have significant business consequences. Organizations using iccDEV in embedded systems or automated pipelines should be particularly cautious, as unexpected crashes could cascade into larger system failures.

To mitigate CVE-2026-21505, organizations should immediately upgrade iccDEV to version 2.3.1.2 or later, where the input validation flaw has been addressed. Conduct an inventory of all systems and applications that utilize iccDEV, including internal tools and third-party software, to ensure they are updated. Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges and reduce the risk of exploitation via user interaction. Employ application whitelisting and behavior monitoring to detect abnormal crashes or hangs related to ICC profile processing. Where possible, sandbox or isolate processes handling ICC profiles to contain potential denial of service effects. Educate users about the risk of interacting with untrusted ICC profiles or files that could trigger the vulnerability. Finally, maintain regular backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from any service disruptions caused by exploitation attempts.