CVE-2026-21683
Published: 07 January 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-21683 is a high-severity Improper Input Validation (CWE-20) vulnerability in Color Iccdev. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked at the 18.1th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2026-21683 is a Type Confusion vulnerability in the iccDEV library, which provides tools and libraries for interacting with, manipulating, and applying International Color Consortium (ICC) color management profiles. The flaw resides in the `icStatusCMM::CIccEvalCompare::EvaluateProfile()` function and affects all versions prior to 2.3.1.2. It impacts any applications or users of the iccDEV library that process ICC color profiles.
Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability by tricking users into processing a specially crafted ICC profile, as indicated by the CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). No privileges are required, and the attack has low complexity but necessitates user interaction. Successful exploitation can result in high impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution due to the type confusion (CWE-843) and improper input validation (CWE-20).
The patch is available in iccDEV version 2.3.1.2, as detailed in the project's GitHub security advisory (GHSA-f2wp-j3fr-938w), issue tracker (#183), and pull request (#228). No known workarounds exist for affected versions.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-1396
Vulnerability details
iccDEV provides a set of libraries and tools that allow for the interaction, manipulation, and application of International Color Consortium (ICC) color management profiles. Versions prior to 2.3.1.2 have a Type Confusion vulnerability in `icStatusCMM::CIccEvalCompare::EvaluateProfile()`. This vulnerability affects users of…
more
the iccDEV library who process ICC color profiles. Version 2.3.1.2 contains a patch. No known workarounds are available.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Type confusion in client-side ICC profile processing library enables arbitrary code execution via crafted malicious file requiring user interaction.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly mitigates CVE-2026-21683 by requiring timely patching of the iccDEV library to version 2.3.1.2 or later.
Addresses the improper input validation (CWE-20) aspect of the type confusion vulnerability by enforcing validation of ICC profiles before processing in the EvaluateProfile function.
Mitigates potential exploitation of the type confusion (CWE-843) through memory protection mechanisms like ASLR and DEP that limit arbitrary code execution.