macOS 26 (Tahoe) — Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection freezes on launch (“com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver” deadlock)

[m_kurzdym]

Hello everyone,

I’d like to report a reproducible issue with Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection (App Store version 3.5.0, build 30500.79.14444486) on macOS 26.0.1 (Tahoe).
The application freezes immediately upon launch and remains unresponsive until forcibly terminated.

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Observed behaviour

After launching, the ksec_app process becomes stuck in a waiting state, as seen in macOS diagnostic reports:

 

Quote

blocked by turnstile waiting for launchd [1] send port name "com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver"

 

This means the app is attempting to connect to a non-existent or unresponsive XPC helper service (com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver), resulting in a permanent hang.

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Technical background

• The App Store build registers an internal XPC service com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver.

• On macOS 26 (Tahoe), Apple introduced persistent sandbox XPC restoration.
  Even if the related container or plist is deleted, launchd automatically restores the entry at next boot.

• Since the restored service no longer responds, the VPN UI (ksec_app) hangs on the XPC handshake stage and never completes initialisation.

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Workaround (confirmed functional)

1. Quit the app completely:

    

   Quote

   pkill ksec

    

2. Remove the stuck resolver:

    

   Quote

   launchctl remove com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver

    

3. Delete the sandbox containers:

    

   Quote

   rm -rf ~/Library/Group\ Containers/*ksec* rm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.kaspersky.ksec*

    

4. In Finder → Go → Go to Folder… → ~/Library/Containers/
   Delete the folder com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver manually, then empty the Trash.

5. Relaunch the VPN.
   It starts and connects normally after that.

(Optional: to prevent macOS from recreating the broken resolver after reboot, create an empty dummy file /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver.plist with no permissions.)

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Expected behaviour

VPN should initialise its XPC connection dynamically on launch, without relying on persistent system registration that may be invalidated by macOS sandbox changes.

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Environment

Component	Version
macOS	26.0.1 (Tahoe, build 25A362)
Hardware	MacBook Pro 16,1 – Intel i9
VPN	3.5.0 (App Store build)
Distribution	Mac App Store
Reproducible	Always, after restart

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Summary

This appears to be a compatibility issue between the App Store build and macOS 26’s updated XPC sandbox behaviour.
Manual cleanup and deregistration of com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver restores normal functionality.
Please forward this to the Mac development team for verification and patching.

Best regards,
M. Kurzdym, PhD (UK)

[Flood and Flood's wife]

14 hours ago, m_kurzdym said:

I’d like to report a reproducible issue with Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection (App Store version 3.5.0, build 30500.79.14444486) on macOS 26.0.1 (Tahoe).
The application freezes immediately upon launch and remains unresponsive until forcibly terminated.

Hello @m_kurzdym, 

Welcome!

Please read: KVPN for Mac, Hardware and software requirements.

Thank you🙏
Flood🐳+🐋

[m_kurzdym]

Hello,

 

Thank You for Your reply.

 

The article You’ve linked refers only to hardware and software requirements for macOS versions up to 15, while the issue described here occurs on macOS 26.0.1 (Tahoe, build 25A362) — which is not listed in that document and introduces several sandbox and XPC-level changes affecting third-party background services.

 

After extensive testing, I have identified that Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection (App Store build 30500.79.14444486) becomes unresponsive due to a deadlock in the com.kaspersky.ksec.bl.resolver endpoint under the new XPC environment.

Removing or resetting this endpoint resolves the issue entirely, restoring full app functionality.

 

Please forward this finding to the macOS development team for internal validation and future patching.

Including this note or workaround in the official documentation may also help other users facing the same issue under macOS 26.

[Flood and Flood's wife]

11 minutes ago, m_kurzdym said:

The article You’ve linked refers only to hardware and software requirements for macOS versions up to 15, while the issue described here occurs on macOS 26.0.1 (Tahoe, build 25A362) — which is not listed in that document and introduces several sandbox and XPC-level changes affecting third-party background services.

Please forward this finding to the macOS development team for internal validation and future patching.

Including this note or workaround in the official documentation may also help other users facing the same issue under macOS 26.

Hello @m_kurzdym, 

You're most welcome!

Thank you for posting back!

Correct, Kaspersky's documentation is for macOS currently supported by Kaspersky, macOS 26.0.1 (Tahoe) is not yet supported. 

To set *your* expectations, Kaspersky Community/Forum members don't action *escalation* requests on behalf of other users - IF the support team need to ask questions & OR interrogate data/logs etc - the Kaspersky Community/Forum member(s) will not be able to assist - as *you* are the source; (you're) more than welcome to raise the issue with Kaspersky Customer Service, https://support.kaspersky.com/b2c#contacts -> select Email, fill in the template as shown; provide a *detailed-history*, the support team will engage & assist:

Please share the outcome, with the Community, when it's available. 

*Also*, in case it's relevant, please read: VPN unavailability in certain regions, Suspended distribution in Poland and Ukraine: 

"Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection for iOS and macOS may not be available for download from the App Store in Poland and Ukraine. In cases where the application has already been downloaded, it will continue to function as usual, but no updates or new downloads will be available in these regions. Auto-renewal will continue to work as expected for existing users."

Thank you🙏
Flood🐳+🐋

[m_kurzdym]

Thank You for Your detailed reply.

Understood — macOS 26.0.1 (Tahoe) is not yet officially supported. However, since this version introduces structural changes in the XPC and sandbox subsystems, early identification of compatibility issues may significantly help the development team prepare the next compatibility update.

I’ll forward all the collected data and a full technical breakdown (including resolver logs and behaviour under App Store build 30500.79.14444486) directly to the Customer Service team via the official channel You’ve mentioned.

Once I receive their response or confirmation from the macOS R&D division, I’ll post an update here so that other users can benefit from the findings.

As for the regional distribution note — acknowledged. The current installation remains fully functional, and the issue was confirmed to be unrelated to regional availability.