CVE-2026-21693
Published: 07 January 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-21693 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 22.3th 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-2 (Flaw Remediation) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2026-21693 is a Type Confusion vulnerability in the iccDEV library, located in the `CIccSegmentedCurveXml::ToXml()` function at `IccXML/IccLibXML/IccMpeXml.cpp`. This issue affects versions of iccDEV prior to 2.3.1.2. iccDEV provides libraries and tools for interacting with, manipulating, and applying International Color Consortium (ICC) color management profiles, impacting any users or applications that process ICC color profiles using the library.
The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating it is exploitable remotely over the network with low attack complexity and no privileges required, though user interaction is necessary. An unauthenticated attacker could trick a user into processing a specially crafted ICC profile, potentially leading to high-impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability violations such as arbitrary code execution or memory corruption. It is associated with CWEs-20 (Improper Input Validation), CWE-681 (Incorrect Conversion between Numeric Types), CWE-754 (Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions), and CWE-843 (Type Confusion).
Mitigation is available via an update to iccDEV version 2.3.1.2, which contains a patch for the vulnerability. No known workarounds exist. Details are provided in the project's GitHub security advisory (GHSA-v3q7-7hw6-6jq8), issue tracker (#389), and pull request (#432).
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-1384
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 `CIccSegmentedCurveXml::ToXml()` at `IccXML/IccLibXML/IccMpeXml.cpp`. This vulnerability affects…
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users of 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 iccDEV library enables arbitrary code execution via crafted ICC profiles processed by client applications, directly facilitating T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly mandates timely identification, reporting, and correction of flaws such as this type confusion vulnerability via the available patch to iccDEV version 2.3.1.2.
Requires validation of inputs like crafted ICC profiles to address the improper input validation (CWE-20) contributing to the type confusion.
Provides memory protections that mitigate exploitation of type confusion leading to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution.