CVE-2026-24411 is a vulnerability in the InternationalColorConsortium's iccDEV library, specifically affecting versions below 2.3.1.2. The flaw is due to improper input validation (CWE-20) within the CIccTagXmlSegmentedCurve::ToXml() method, which processes ICC color management profiles. ICC profiles are widely used for color calibration and management in imaging, printing, and display systems. The vulnerability manifests when user-controllable input is embedded unsafely into ICC profile data or other structured binary blobs, causing undefined behavior that can be leveraged by attackers. This can lead to denial of service by crashing the application, manipulation of data integrity, bypassing application logic, and potentially arbitrary code execution. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.1 reflects a high severity, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction (e.g., opening a malicious ICC profile). The vulnerability touches on multiple CWEs including improper input validation (CWE-20), null pointer dereference (CWE-476), unchecked return values (CWE-690), and use of undefined behavior (CWE-758). Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the potential impact on applications that rely on iccDEV for color profile handling is significant. The issue has been addressed in iccDEV version 2.3.1.2, and users are strongly advised to upgrade.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2026-24411 can be substantial, especially for industries relying heavily on color management such as printing, publishing, photography, graphic design, and manufacturing sectors involving color-critical workflows. Exploitation could cause denial of service, interrupting business operations and potentially causing financial losses. Data manipulation or bypassing application logic could undermine the integrity of color profiles, leading to incorrect color rendering and quality issues. In worst cases, code execution could allow attackers to compromise systems, leading to broader network infiltration or data breaches. Given the network attack vector and no privilege requirements, attackers could distribute malicious ICC profiles via email attachments, websites, or file sharing, targeting users in these sectors. The disruption of color management systems could also affect compliance with quality standards and contractual obligations. Therefore, the threat poses both operational and security risks to European enterprises using affected versions of iccDEV.

1. Immediate upgrade to iccDEV version 2.3.1.2 or later to apply the official patch fixing the vulnerability. 2. Implement strict validation and sanitization of ICC profile inputs before processing, especially if profiles are sourced from untrusted or external origins. 3. Employ application-level sandboxing or isolation for software components handling ICC profiles to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 4. Monitor and restrict the acceptance of ICC profiles from unknown or unverified sources, including email attachments and downloads. 5. Integrate security scanning tools that can detect malformed or malicious ICC profiles as part of file intake workflows. 6. Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious files containing ICC profiles. 7. Maintain up-to-date intrusion detection and prevention systems to identify anomalous behavior related to color profile processing. 8. Review and harden related software dependencies that interact with iccDEV to reduce attack surface.