Apple has released a macOS Sequoia update to address compatibility issues that have been plaguing users of several security tools for over two weeks.
Released on September 16, Sequoia is the latest major macOS iteration, bringing multiple new features and enhancements, but also changes to firewall settings and other network-related configurations that have been causing crashes and connectivity issues for multiple users.
Almost immediately after macOS Sequoia 15 started rolling out to devices, users of CrowdStrike, ESET, Microsoft, and SentinelOne security products started complaining about broken security applications and blocked network connectivity.
Turning off the affected security tools resolved the problem, making it clear that it was a compatibility issue. All affected companies issued warnings on the matter, noting that Sequoia did not provide full support for their products.
The issue was reported to Apple before macOS Sequoia 15 was released to all users, Patrick Wardle, a reputable researcher specializing in the security of Apple products, pointed out.
Apple kept its silence on the matter until late last week, when it announced the release of macOS Sequoia 15.0.1, which “improves compatibility with third-party security software” and “improves reliability for single sign-on authentication in Safari”.
Shortly after macOS 15.0.1 became available, Microsoft updated its advisory on Sequoia to underline that support for its products has been included in the new release.
“In macOS Sequoia (version 15.0), if you have Network Protection enabled, you might see crashes of the network extension (NetExt). This issue results in intermittent network connectivity issues for end users. Please upgrade to macOS Sequoia version 15.0.1 or newer. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint supports version 15.0.1 or newer,” Microsoft’s advisory now reads.
On X (formerly Twitter), Microsoft MVP Ugur Koc pointed out that the bug was related to the network filter, which “was causing issues with the internet connectivity”.
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