When the fans blow
QHow can I install pfSense, the open source firewall, on my M1 Mac mini? byDANIELSOLOMON
ACurrently, pfSense doesn’t support Apple’s ARM chips, and requires an Intel processor. Although it’s an excellent firewall, it’s intended as a network device on a system with two wired network interfaces, one connecting it to your router, the other to your local network. That way it replaces the firewall built into the router, providing better and more flexible protection. If you want to use pfSense, you’re better off buying a complete appliance, such as a Netgate 1100, which ironically uses an ARM Cortex processor.
If you’re looking for a firewall to protect that Mac rather than the whole network, macOS contains its own in pf, the packet filter, but that’s traditionally configured and maintained using the command tool pfctl, which is almost impossibly complex to use. Instead, you can use one of three Murus apps from bit.ly/mac383murus, ranging from the free Lite to a full-blown Pro version. They put an extensive front onto pf’s controls, enabling you to get the best out of it without a steep learning curve.
These are different from software firewalls such as Little Snitch, which is primarily intended to prevent unwanted outgoing connections from your Mac, including those used by malware to ‘phone home’.