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Break different: Apple recently released the latest version of macOS, but things aren't going smoothly for Sequoia. The operating system is reportedly causing serious compatibility issues for security tool vendors, and it appears Cupertino was aware that the OS wasn't fully ready for prime time.
macOS 15 is hardly breaking new ground in terms of advanced features or technology. In fact, Mac users may want to skip or delay the upgrade, as the new OS is experiencing significant compatibility issues with anti-malware programs and other security tools. While third-party vendors have offered temporary workarounds, Apple is likely investigating the problem to provide a permanent fix.
After updating to macOS 15, many users have reported problems using security software from companies like CrowdStrike, Microsoft, and ESET. macOS security expert Patrick Wardle noted that Apple was alerted to these issues before Sequoia's release, yet the company chose to proceed with the launch. Now, vendors are issuing advisories, and users and IT admins are left to deal with the fallout.
The root of the problem appears to lie in macOS 15's updated network stack. A CrowdStrike representative confirmed that Apple made "quite a lot" of changes in this area, and easy fixes are not available.
"Please trust me when I say this was looked at through every angle, to see if there was any way to continue to provide the best protection to our customers on this new OS without having to delay," Crowdstrike said.
According to Microsoft's bulletin, macOS 15 introduced a strange issue with the system firewall. When stealth mode is enabled, Sequoia stops responding to "ping" requests, making further connection attempts impossible. To work around this, Redmond suggests temporarily disabling stealth mode either in the OS settings or through a compliance policy.
Due to Sequoia's problems with the networking stack, Slovak security firm ESET initially advised customers to avoid the update. However, ESET later managed to achieve full compatibility with macOS 15. Other security software still requires updates to function properly, and users have also reported issues with the Firefox browser and other network-dependent tools.
According to Wardle, Apple acknowledged the networking issues after being contacted by several "large" software vendors. Some "unintended" changes in Sequoia have caused the disruption, and Apple engineers are now working to resolve it. The exact cause of the problem remains unclear – whether it's related to the firewall or a deeper-level issue within the OS's networking stack.
"If you pride yourself on building secure systems, you can't push out software that breaks security tools," Wardle said.