CVE-2026-25503 is a vulnerability identified in the iccDEV library, which is widely used for the manipulation and application of ICC color management profiles. The root cause is an incorrect type conversion or cast (CWE-704) when handling the icImageEncodingType field within ICC profiles. Specifically, malformed ICC profiles containing invalid icImageEncodingType values can cause type confusion, leading to undefined behavior such as memory corruption or application crashes. This vulnerability can be triggered remotely by supplying a crafted ICC profile to an application that uses iccDEV for color profile processing. The impact is primarily a denial of service (DoS), as the malformed profile causes the application to crash or become unstable. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.1 (high), reflecting that the vulnerability is remotely exploitable without privileges (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N), requires user interaction (UI:R), and impacts availability (A:H) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of now. The issue was addressed and patched in iccDEV version 2.3.1.2. The vulnerability is relevant for any software or systems that incorporate iccDEV for ICC profile processing, including image editing software, printing pipelines, and color management tools.

For European organizations, the primary impact of this vulnerability is the potential for denial of service in systems that process ICC color profiles using vulnerable versions of iccDEV. This can disrupt critical workflows in industries reliant on accurate color management, such as graphic design, digital printing, photography, and manufacturing sectors involving color calibration. Service interruptions could affect productivity and lead to operational delays. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity, repeated or targeted exploitation could degrade trust in affected applications and cause downtime. Given the remote exploitability without privileges, attackers could weaponize malicious ICC profiles distributed via email attachments, downloads, or embedded in documents, increasing the risk of widespread disruption. The lack of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often develop exploits after public disclosure. Organizations using older versions of iccDEV in their software stacks are at risk until they apply the patch.

European organizations should immediately identify and inventory all software and systems that utilize iccDEV libraries for ICC profile processing. They must upgrade all instances of iccDEV to version 2.3.1.2 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. For software vendors embedding iccDEV, releasing updated versions with the patched library is critical. Additionally, implement input validation and sanitization for ICC profiles before processing to detect and reject malformed or suspicious profiles. Employ application-level sandboxing or isolation for processes handling untrusted ICC profiles to contain potential crashes and prevent broader system impact. Monitoring and alerting on application crashes related to ICC profile processing can help detect exploitation attempts. Educate users to avoid opening or importing ICC profiles from untrusted sources, especially in email attachments or downloads. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from any denial of service incidents.