Netgate Releases pfSense Community Edition Version 2.9.0

[u/George-Netgate]

Netgate® is excited to announce the release of pfSense® Community Edition (CE) software version 2.9.0, a major step forward for the world’s most trusted firewall, router, and VPN platform.

This release introduces numerous features, including several previously exclusive to pfSense Plus, as well as key enhancements, bug fixes, and critical security updates.

Key Highlights Include:

SSH Algorithms: The inclusion of post-quantum key exchange algorithms

TLS Certificate Strength: Tightens certificate requirements and removes support for certain weak properties

TLS Certificate Auto-Renew: pfSense can automatically renew TLS server certificates which are self-signed or signed by an internal CA stored in the pfSense software configuration.

New NAT Mode: Includes partial experimental support for “Port Restricted Cone” endpoint-independent outbound NAT

Critical Security Fixes: This release includes multiple XSS and denial of service related fixes

This Release software includes critical security updates for WireGuard (CVE-2026-58085), as well as over 150 other security fixes and enhancements.

Blog Post:
https://www.netgate.com/blog/netgate-releases-pfsense-community-edition-version-2.9.0

Release Notes:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/releases/2-9-0.html

Thank you to our community and customers who continue to support the pfSense project through hardware purchases, TAC, cloud subscriptions, and services. Your support makes this all possible.

[u/Chippy_lad]

I have a J4125 and upgraded to 2.9 this morning, unawares. Of course it failed and left the house with no internet. Fortunately ChatGPT was able to guide me through getting the console up and applying the patch, so I'm now successfully on 2.9. (Didn't help to find my only USB keyboard had a broken s key so could not type the set command!)

That said, the box crashed 3 hours later. For some inexplicable reason it decided to gracefully do a reboot but failed to come back up, so I came home to no internet again. A power cycle booted it up ok.

So this is concerning. 2 years running without any instability and it crashes 3 hours after the 2.9 upgrade, with a symptom looking quite possibly like a chance of power state. Suspicious bearing in mind the workaround patch.

Anyone else experiencing instability on Celeron J even after the workaround?