CVE-2026-21684
Published: 07 January 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-21684 is a high-severity Improper Input Validation (CWE-20) vulnerability in Color Iccdev. Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Malicious File (T1204.002); ranked at the 27.2th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2026-21684 is an Undefined Behavior vulnerability in the `CIccTagSpectralViewingConditions()` function within the iccDEV library, a set of libraries and tools for interacting with, manipulating, and applying International Color Consortium (ICC) color management profiles. It affects versions of iccDEV prior to 2.3.1.2 and impacts any users or applications that process ICC color profiles using this library. The issue is linked to CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) and CWE-758.
Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability with low complexity and no privileges required, but it necessitates user interaction, such as tricking a user into opening or processing a malicious ICC color profile. Successful exploitation results in no confidentiality impact, low integrity impact, and high availability impact, with an overall CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H). This could lead to application crashes, denial of service, or other disruptions due to the undefined behavior triggered in the affected function.
The patch is available in iccDEV version 2.3.1.2, as detailed in the project's GitHub security advisory (GHSA-fg9m-j9x8-8279), issue tracker (#216), and pull request (#225). No known workarounds exist for vulnerable versions.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-1394
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 Undefined Behavior in `CIccTagSpectralViewingConditions()`. This vulnerability affects users of the iccDEV…
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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?
Vulnerability enables DoS via crafted malicious ICC profile file requiring user interaction to open/process, directly mapping to malicious file execution and application exploitation for endpoint DoS.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly enforces input validation on ICC color profiles before they reach CIccTagSpectralViewingConditions(), blocking the malformed data that triggers the undefined behavior.
Requires timely application of the available patch (v2.3.1.2) that eliminates the undefined behavior in the affected function.
Verifies integrity of the iccDEV library and/or ICC profile files, reducing the chance that a tampered or corrupted profile is processed.