macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install macosvpnlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 8057
Install macosvpn with Homebrew
Create Mac OS VPNs programmatically. Version 2.0.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Create Mac OS VPNs programmatically
Project links
Commands and aliases
- macosvpn
history
Project history and usage
macosvpn is a Swift command-line tool for creating and deleting macOS VPN network services programmatically. The README documents support for L2TP over IPSec and Cisco IPSec configurations.
Project history
The official repository was created in July 2014. The README's own history section says the implementation began from research into Apple's networking discussions and practical examples for manipulating VPN configuration, shared secrets, traffic routing, and System Keychain entries.
The project packages that undocumented macOS VPN configuration knowledge into a CLI with create and delete commands. Its README emphasizes that administrator privileges are required because VPN passwords are stored in the System Keychain, and it explicitly chooses sudo over a separate HelperTool.
Adoption history
macosvpn is distributed through Homebrew according to both the README and the batch input, and the README also points users to compiled GitHub release binaries. Repository metadata captured during this run showed several hundred GitHub stars and dozens of forks, indicating durable adoption among Mac administrators and automation users.
How it is used
Typical usage is `sudo macosvpn create --l2tp <name> --endpoint <host> --username <user> --password <password> --sharedsecret <secret>` or the Cisco IPSec variant. The README also documents flags such as `--force`, `--split`, disconnect behavior options, repeated arguments for creating multiple VPNs, and `macosvpn delete` for removing one or more services.
Why package nerds care
macosvpn is significant because VPN profiles are often part of fleet setup, CI test machines, and repeatable laptop provisioning, but macOS historically made this hard to automate with plain shell tools. A Homebrew-installable CLI gives package nerds a way to put VPN setup next to the rest of a bootstrap script.
Timeline
- 2014: Official GitHub repository created.
- 2017: 0.3.x releases covered macOS High Sierra.
- 2019: 1.0.0 release published for macOS Catalina.
- 2022: 2.0.0 Ventura release published.
Related projects
- The README mentions Apple's SystemConfiguration preferences, the System Keychain, sudo, Xcode builds, and related helper libraries Moderator and PrettyColors.
Sources
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 bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- macOS
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist
Credential files
Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.
- macOS
/Library/Keychains/System.keychain
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
macosvpn | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
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 generated2026-08-03
manager version2.0.0
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:macosvpn |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.0.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/halo/macosvpn |
| Repository | https://github.com/halo/macosvpn |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
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.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation