F-Secure blocks internet on WiFi network switch macOS Sonoma

OP11

F-Secure seems to block internet access at least for browsers (Safari, extension installed; Firefox, extension not installed) when my Macbook switches from a secure known WiFi network to another (home → work).

I just installed F-Secure (Version 19.9 (63790)) on macOS Sonoma 14.6.1 and found this behaviour. Connection is resumed when I switch WiFi off and back on. I do not have the F-Secure VPN enabled nor any other VPNs for that matter.

Does anyone know how to fix this?

ArthurVal

Hello, @OP11 ! Thanks for the report!

That's a curious observation. From the top of my mind I cannot think any F-Secure Mac product functionality that would cause such behavior to occur (except VPN feature). Let's try to collect a bit more diagnostic information to hopefully get closer to a solution.

Could you please describe how exactly the connection gets blocked when you switch between networks?

• Does macOS show you are connected to Wi-Fi in the status bar?
  • you could also try to perform a simple network test in the Terminal app by running "ping google.com" or a similar command to test connection to an external resource when you are observing the issue
• Is it a particular browser that is affected?
• Does it affect other apps?
• Is there any error message shown (a screenshot would be helpful)?
• Does it happen without F-Secure Mac product installed on the system?

Reino158

I have the same problem.When trying to open any site outside "banking protection" Iĺl

just get "about:blank"

Should like to throw the whole "F-Secure" into the Bin,but cannot find a way to disconnect it.

ArthurVal

Hello, @Reino158!

If you are observing this behavior in Safari, please make sure you have the latest version of F-Secure Safari extension installed. The latest version is 2.0.440. You can check the version of the installed extension on the "Extensions" tab in Safari settings.

If you are running an older version, please open App Store on your Mac, navigate to "Updates" tab and update "Secure Browsing by F-Secure" app.

Apple introduced a change in the latest releases of macOS and Safari that affects older versions of the F-Secure Safari extension. The latest version of the F-Secure Safari extension addresses the issue so that it's able to display a proper message instead of showing a blank page.

Please let me know if that helped resolve the issue. Thank you!

Reino158

There was a "secure browsing by F-secure" on upcoming automatic updates but it

was "unable to download app".

ArthurVal

If the App Store app reports an issue downloading the update, please try following the troubleshooting steps from Apple here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102331

Please let me know if that helped resolve the issue. Thank you!

Reino158

Did not succeed with the Apple guidelines but the problem my be that the system

expects me to be in Finland and i`m not there.

OP11

Hi Arthur!

Thank you for replying! To answer your questions:

• The Wifi status showed "Connected" (if I remember correctly)
• Both Safari and Firefox were affected (others not tested)
• I did not test other apps if I remember
• This behaviour appeared only when I installed F-Secure

Update: this issue has now gone away. Or at least it no longer appears on the two Wifi networks I use (home and work). I will test other networks still and report back!

ArthurVal

https://community.f-secure.com/en/discussion/comment/139138#Comment_139138

I would also make sure that the Apple ID account used to download the Secure Browsing by F-secure app is the same one you have now logged in as.

In case you have an Apple ID account associated with a different region, we could also try to re-install the app using that other Apple ID account to exclude any confusion on Apple's side related to mismatch of the current Apple ID account region vs. the one used when initially installing the app.

Otherwise to be honest I am not aware of of region limitations in the App Store if the account stays the same. You might want to bring it up with Apple support in case the issue is somehow specific to your Apple ID account. Apple has a better chance troubleshooting it from their end.