1/2
Athena EPP Agent: Installation and Startup Failures on macOS 27 (Apple silicon)
  

Sangfor Jojo Lv5  Posted 2026-Sep-24 09:20

Overview                                                                                                   
Apple began moving Mac computers from Intel processors to Apple silicon in 2020. Rosetta 2 translates Intel-based applications so that they continue to run on Apple silicon, smoothing the transition and giving users and application developers more time to update their applications. Apple's original plan was for Rosetta 2 to be unavailable starting with macOS 28 (expected Q4 2027).

But following the general availability of macOS 27, Rosetta 2 is no longer present on upgraded Macs. As a result, the Intel-based Athena EPP Agent can no longer be installed or started on Apple silicon Macs. Sangfor is adjusting its roadmap accordingly and expects to complete Apple silicon native architecture support by late November 2026. This advisory documents the issue, its impact, and the recommended remediation.
References:


Issue Description and Resolution                                                           

Scenario 1: Fresh deployment of Athena EPP Agent on macOS 27
macOS 27 no longer displays the prompt that guides users to install Rosetta before installing Intel-based software, so the Agent installation fails immediately. The failure dialog is shown below.

Resolution
Ensure that the Mac is connected to the internet. Then, using an administrator account, open Terminal and install Rosetta manually.
1. Open Launchpad, search for "Terminal," and open it.

2. In the Terminal window, enter the following command:
softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license

3. Press Return to run the command and wait for the Rosetta installation to complete.


Scenario 2: Existing Athena EPP Agent installation after upgrading to macOS 27
After the Mac is upgraded to macOS 27, EndpointSecure can no longer start automatically, and the following error is displayed.

Resolution
1. On an individual Mac, follow the on-screen prompt to install Rosetta. EndpointSecure then starts normally.
2.  For Macs managed in bulk, administrators can deploy Rosetta centrally through an MDM or endpoint management solution such as Jamf or Intune.
    a.  For automated deployment, use the following command, subject to your organization's change management policy: softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license
    b.  Before a large-scale rollout, validate Rosetta installation, EndpointSecure startup, and business application access on a small number of devices.


Version Support Plan                                                                              
The Mac Agent in Athena EPP 6.0.4R4 has completed native adaptation verification for Apple silicon and is scheduled for release in late November 2026. After the upgrade, the Mac Agent no longer depends on Rosetta, which resolves the installation and startup issues caused by its absence.


Interim Recommendations                                                                     
Until the Apple silicon native build is released:
1. Postpone large-scale macOS 27 upgrades on Apple silicon Macs.
2. Deploy Rosetta proactively through your MDM solution, following the steps in Scenario 2, and pilot the rollout on a small number of devices before expanding to the wider fleet.

Like this topic? Like it or reward the author.

Creating a topic earns you 5 coins. A featured or excellent topic earns you more coins. What is Coin?

Enter your mobile phone number and company name for better service. Go

Rhyan Lv1  Posted 2026-Sep-24 14:17
  
This is very useful, thank you for sharing!

Moderator on This Board

2
1
0

Started Topics

Followers

Follow

1
1
0

Started Topics

Followers

Follow

1139
247
101

Started Topics

Followers

Follow

Trending Topics

Board Leaders