The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-24412 affects the InternationalColorConsortium's iccDEV library, which is widely used for handling ICC color management profiles in various applications related to imaging, printing, and color calibration. The flaw is a heap buffer overflow in the CIccTagXmlSegmentedCurve::ToXml() function, caused by improper input validation (CWE-20) and unsafe handling of user-controllable input embedded within ICC profile data or other structured binary blobs. When an application processes a maliciously crafted ICC profile, the overflow can corrupt memory, leading to denial of service (application crashes), unauthorized data manipulation, bypassing of application logic, or even arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over a network (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R), such as opening or importing a malicious ICC profile file. The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component and its privileges. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with ease of exploitation. The issue has been addressed in version 2.3.1.2 of iccDEV, but versions 2.3.1.1 and earlier remain vulnerable. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the severity and potential impact warrant immediate attention from users of the library.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially in sectors relying heavily on color management workflows such as printing, publishing, graphic design, and manufacturing. Exploitation could lead to denial of service, disrupting critical production pipelines and causing operational downtime. More severe consequences include unauthorized manipulation of color profile data, which could degrade product quality or cause incorrect color rendering, impacting brand reputation and customer trust. The possibility of remote code execution elevates the risk to full system compromise, potentially allowing attackers to pivot within networks or exfiltrate sensitive data. Given the widespread use of ICC profiles in professional imaging and printing software, organizations that process large volumes of such data are at higher risk. The vulnerability's requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering could be used to deliver malicious profiles, increasing the attack surface. Additionally, automated systems that ingest ICC profiles without strict validation are particularly vulnerable. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation before active attacks emerge.

Organizations should immediately upgrade iccDEV to version 2.3.1.2 or later to remediate the vulnerability. Until patching is complete, implement strict input validation and sanitization for all ICC profile data, especially from untrusted sources. Restrict or disable automatic processing of ICC profiles in workflows where possible, requiring manual verification before import. Employ application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual activity related to ICC profile handling. Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious ICC profile files, incorporating this into security awareness training. For developers, review and harden code paths that parse and manipulate ICC profiles, applying secure coding practices to prevent similar issues. Finally, maintain an inventory of software and systems utilizing iccDEV to ensure comprehensive patch management and risk assessment.