The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-24406 affects iccDEV, a widely used open-source library and toolset for interacting with ICC (International Color Consortium) color management profiles. Specifically, versions 2.3.1.1 and earlier contain a heap buffer overflow in the CIccTagNamedColor2::SetSize() function. This function is responsible for setting the size of named color tags within ICC profiles. The root cause is improper input validation (CWE-20) combined with unsafe memory handling (CWE-122), where user-controllable input embedded in ICC profile data or other structured binary blobs is not properly checked before being used to allocate or write to memory buffers. An attacker can craft malicious ICC profiles that, when processed by vulnerable versions of iccDEV, cause heap corruption. This can lead to denial of service by crashing the application, manipulation of data or application logic, or potentially remote code execution if the attacker can control the execution flow. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely (AV:N) without privileges (PR:N), but requires user interaction (UI:R), such as opening or processing a malicious ICC profile embedded in images or documents. The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component and its immediate context. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8 reflects high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. No public exploits are known yet, but the severity and ease of exploitation make it a critical patching priority. The issue was fixed in iccDEV version 2.3.1.2, which performs proper input validation and safe memory operations in the SetSize() function.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2026-24406 can be significant, especially those involved in industries relying heavily on color management workflows, such as printing, publishing, graphic design, photography, and manufacturing sectors that use ICC profiles for color calibration. Exploitation could lead to denial of service, disrupting critical production pipelines or digital asset management systems. More severely, attackers could manipulate color profile data to bypass application logic or achieve remote code execution, potentially compromising confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data or gaining footholds in corporate networks. Given the vulnerability requires user interaction, phishing or social engineering campaigns embedding malicious ICC profiles in documents or images could be effective attack vectors. The disruption or compromise of color management tools could also affect quality control processes, leading to financial losses and reputational damage. Additionally, organizations processing large volumes of user-generated or third-party images are at higher risk. The lack of known exploits in the wild does not diminish the urgency due to the high CVSS score and ease of exploitation.

1. Immediately upgrade all deployments of iccDEV to version 2.3.1.2 or later, which contains the fix for this vulnerability. 2. Implement strict validation and sanitization of all ICC profiles before processing, especially those originating from untrusted or external sources. 3. Employ application-layer controls to restrict the processing of ICC profiles to trusted workflows and users only. 4. Monitor logs and application behavior for anomalies related to ICC profile handling, such as unexpected crashes or memory errors. 5. Educate users about the risks of opening untrusted image files or documents containing embedded ICC profiles, emphasizing caution with unsolicited files. 6. Where possible, isolate or sandbox applications that process ICC profiles to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 7. Coordinate with software vendors and update any dependent applications or tools that bundle vulnerable versions of iccDEV. 8. Conduct penetration testing and code audits focusing on color profile processing components to identify residual risks.