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brew

Install killswitch with Homebrew

VPN kill switch for macOS. Version 0.8.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-03.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install killswitch

local Homebrew formula metadata

overview

Package summary

VPN kill switch for macOS

Commands and aliases

  • killswitch

history

Project history and usage

killswitch is a macOS VPN kill-switch CLI that uses the `pf` firewall to block outgoing traffic when the VPN tunnel disappears.

Project history

The GitHub repository was created in 2016, with a 0.7.0 GitHub release published on 2019-03-09. The README explains the core design: write temporary `pf` rules to `/tmp/killswitch.pf.conf`, load them with `pfctl`, and avoid modifying the system default `/etc/pf.conf`.

Adoption history

killswitch has narrower packaging than the other projects in this batch; the Homebrew formula documents it as a macOS VPN kill switch, and the project README focuses on local builds and root-required enable/disable commands.

How it is used

Users run `sudo killswitch -e` to enable firewall rules, `sudo killswitch -d` to disable and restore default rules, or `killswitch --print` to inspect rules before applying them.

Why package nerds care

killswitch is notable as a small packageable security utility that exposes macOS `pf` behavior through a single CLI, useful for users who want a provider-independent VPN leak guard rather than an application-specific setting.

Timeline

  • 2016: vpn-kill-switch/killswitch repository created on GitHub.
  • 2019: 0.7.0 release published.
  • 2020: 0.7.1 and v0.7.2 releases published.
  • 2023: v0.7.3 release published.
  • 2026: 0.8.x releases published from February through April.

Related projects

  • The README links the design to the Packet Filter firewall documented by FreeBSD and to macOS networking tools such as `pfctl`, `sysctl`, `netstat`, `scutil`, and `ifconfig`.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 4 platform targets.
  • Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
killswitchcliglobal executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08
manager version0.8.3
manager updated2026-06-03
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected0.8.3

https://github.com/vpn-kill-switch/killswitch

  • okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:killswitch
Version0.8.3
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/killswitch
Homepagehttps://killswitch.network
Repositoryhttps://github.com/vpn-kill-switch/killswitch
Upstream docshttps://github.com/vpn-kill-switch/killswitch#readme
LicenseBSD-3-Clause
Source archivehttps://github.com/vpn-kill-switch/killswitch/archive/refs/tags/0.8.3.tar.gz
Last updated2026-06-03T23:07:00Z
Pulseupdated
Build dependenciesrust
Bottleavailable (on arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namekillswitch
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Requirements
  • macos
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • stable

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Related tools

  • rustBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • strongswanShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-security, security, vpn.
  • arpoisonShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-security, security.
  • bettercapShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-security, security.
  • cryfsShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, privacy, security.
  • easy-rsaShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, security, vpn.
  • ettercapShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, network-security, security.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Used sources

  • Geiger risk classifier
  • Nucleus package database
  • av.db category and tag curation
  • cross-ecosystem install command graph
  • curated package history
  • package relationship graph
  • package version freshness
  • package-page enrichment