CVE-2026-23111 Linux Kernel Vulnerability Statement

-----------------------------------

Affected DW Products: DW Spectrum Professional (Server and Client), DW Blackjack® Server Series

New Software Version: N/A — See Statement Below

Previous Software Version: N/A

Release Date: June 29, 2026

-----------------------------------

CVE-2026-23111 Linux Kernel Vulnerability Statement

Dear Digital Watchdog Partner,

This technical bulletin is being issued to address the recently disclosed "CVE-2026-23111" Linux kernel vulnerability and to provide clarity on the portential impact to Digital Watchdog products.

On February 13, 2026, a local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting the Linux kernel was publicly disclosed, assigned the ID CVE-2026-23111.

The affected component is nf_tables, a subsystem of the Linux kernel handling network packet filtering and classification. This vulnerability affects multiple Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, and can allow a local user to elevate privileges to the root level.

It is important to note that this is a local privilege escalation vulnerability, meaning that exploitation requires an attacker to already have local access to the system. Remote exploitation without prior access has not been demonstrated at this time. DW Blackjack Servers deployed in physically secured, access-controlled environments with no unauthorized local users face a lower immediate risk profile.

By default, DW Blackjack Server hardware that runs on Linux-based operating systems is not affected by this vulnerability. However, if you have enabled any of the modules that are affected, you will need to disable them.

Recommended Actions

Digital Watchdog recommends the following steps for customers and partners managing DW products on Linux-based systems:

Check if affected modules are loaded on the system
- If the following action idicates that the modules are not loaded, no further action is required. However, if modules are detected, refer to the link in the Additional Information section below for troubleshooting instructions.
- Open the Terminal application and use the following command:

echo "nf_tables module:" && lsmod | grep -q nf_tables && echo "LOADED" || echo "NOT LOADED"

Restrict physical and local access to all DW Blackjack Servers and systems running DW Spectrum Professional Server. Ensure that only authorized personnel have local login access.
Monitor for kernel updates from your Linux distribution vendor. Canonical (Ubuntu) has published mitigations and is working on kernel patch pacakges for all affected Ubuntu releases. DW will communicate when tested and validated firmware or software updates are available for affected DW products.
Keep DW Spectrum Professional software up to date to ensure that current cybersecurity standards are implemented on your surveillance systems.
Do not apply kernel-level mitigations independently (such as disabling the nf_tables module) on DW Blackjack Servers without first consulting DW Technical Support, as doing so may affect system functionality or stability.

Additional Information

Digital Watchdog takes the security of our customers' systems seriously and will continue to monitor this situation closely. Updated guidance and any relevant firmware or software updates will be commnicated as they become available. For more information on the underlying vulnerability, refer to the official Ubuntu security advisory at https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-23111

______________________________________________________________________________

For More Information or Technical Support

DW Technical Support: https://www.digital-watchdog.com/contact-tech-support/

DW Sales: sales@digital-watchdog.com | www.digital-watchdog.com