I have successfully upgraded my pfSense CE firewall from version 2.8.0 to 2.8.1 on 15 Oct 2025 Wed

Subject: I have successfully upgraded my pfSense CE firewall from version 2.8.0 to 2.8.1 on 15 Oct 2025 Wed

Good day from Singapore,

pfSense CE version 2.8.1 firewall is based on FreeBSD 15.0-CURRENT.

>>> Updating repositories metadata...

Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...

Fetching meta.conf: . done

Fetching data.pkg: . done

Processing entries: . done

pfSense-core repository update completed. 4 packages processed.

Updating pfSense repository catalogue...

Fetching meta.conf: . done

Fetching data.pkg: .......... done

Processing entries: .......... done

pfSense repository update completed. 541 packages processed.

All repositories are up to date.

>>> Removing vital flag from php83...done.

>>> Downloading upgrade packages...

Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...

Fetching meta.conf: 

Fetching data.pkg: 

pfSense-core repository is up to date.

Updating pfSense repository catalogue...

Fetching meta.conf: 

Fetching data.pkg: 

pfSense repository is up to date.

All repositories are up to date.

Checking for upgrades (9 candidates): ......... done

Processing candidates (9 candidates): ......... done

The following 9 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):

Installed packages to be UPGRADED:

if_pppoe-kmod: 2.8.0.1500029 -> 2.8.1.1500029 [pfSense]

pfSense: 2.8.0.1500029 -> 2.8.1 [pfSense]

pfSense-base: 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1 [pfSense-core]

pfSense-boot: 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1 [pfSense-core]

pfSense-default-config: 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1 [pfSense]

pfSense-kernel-pfSense: 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1 [pfSense-core]

pfSense-pkg-snort: 4.1.6_25 -> 4.1.6_26 [pfSense]

pfSense-repo: 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1 [pfSense]

unbound: 1.22.0_1 -> 1.23.0 [pfSense]

Number of packages to be upgraded: 9

The operation will free 13 MiB.

159 MiB to be downloaded.

[1/9] Fetching unbound-1.23.0.pkg: .......... done

[2/9] Fetching pfSense-base-2.8.1.pkg: .......... done

[3/9] Fetching pfSense-default-config-2.8.1.pkg: . done

[4/9] Fetching pfSense-2.8.1.pkg: .......... done

[5/9] Fetching if_pppoe-kmod-2.8.1.1500029.pkg: ... done

[6/9] Fetching pfSense-boot-2.8.1.pkg: .......... done

[7/9] Fetching pfSense-pkg-snort-4.1.6_26.pkg: ......... done

[8/9] Fetching pfSense-repo-2.8.1.pkg: . done

[9/9] Fetching pfSense-kernel-pfSense-2.8.1.pkg: .......... done

Checking integrity... done (0 conflicting)

>>> Downloading pkg...

The following packages will be fetched:

New packages to be FETCHED:

pkg: 1.21.3_4 (17 MiB: 100.00% of the 17 MiB to download)

Number of packages to be fetched: 1

The process will require 17 MiB more space.

17 MiB to be downloaded.

Fetching pkg-1.21.3_4.pkg: .......... done

>>> Downloading drm...

The following packages will be fetched:

New packages to be FETCHED:

drm-515-kmod: 5.15.160.1500029_2 (4 MiB: 100.00% of the 4 MiB to download)

Number of packages to be fetched: 1

The process will require 4 MiB more space.

4 MiB to be downloaded.

Fetching drm-515-kmod-5.15.160.1500029_2.pkg: .......... done

>>> Upgrading pfSense-boot...>>> Unmounting /boot/efi...done.

Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...

Fetching meta.conf: 

Fetching data.pkg: 

pfSense-core repository is up to date.

Updating pfSense repository catalogue...

Fetching meta.conf: 

Fetching data.pkg: 

pfSense repository is up to date.

All repositories are up to date.

Checking integrity... done (0 conflicting)

The following 1 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):

Installed packages to be UPGRADED:

pfSense-boot: 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1 [pfSense-core]

Number of packages to be upgraded: 1

[1/1] Upgrading pfSense-boot from 2.8.0 to 2.8.1...

[1/1] Extracting pfSense-boot-2.8.1: .......... done

>>> Upgrading pfSense kernel...

Checking integrity... done (0 conflicting)

The following 1 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):

Installed packages to be UPGRADED:

pfSense-kernel-pfSense: 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1 [pfSense-core]

Number of packages to be upgraded: 1

The process will require 4 MiB more space.

[1/1] Upgrading pfSense-kernel-pfSense from 2.8.0 to 2.8.1...

[1/1] Extracting pfSense-kernel-pfSense-2.8.1: .......... done

>>> Removing unnecessary packages...done.

>>> Upgrading boot code...

System Configuration

Architecture: amd64

Boot Devices: /dev/ada0

 Boot Method: uefi

  Filesystem: zfs

    Platform: unknown hardware

Updating boot code...

/usr/local/sbin/../libexec/install-boot.sh -b auto -f zfs -s gpt -u ada0

gpart bootcode -b /boot/pmbr -p /boot/gptzfsboot -i 2 ada0

partcode written to ada0p2

bootcode written to ada0

ESP /dev/ada0p1 mounted on /tmp/stand-test.COEvK7

263472KB space remaining on ESP: renaming old bootx64.efi file /efi/boot/bootx64.efi /efi/boot/bootx64-old.efi

263472KB space remaining on ESP: renaming old loader.efi file /etc/freebsd/loader.efi /etc/freebsd/loader-old.efi

Copying loader.efi to /EFI/freebsd on ESP

Existing UEFI FreeBSD boot entry found: not creating a new one

Copying bootx64.efi to /efi/boot on ESP

Unmounting and cleaning up temporary mount point

Finished updating ESP

Done.

System is going to be upgraded.  Rebooting in 10 seconds.

Success

=========================================================================================================================

Snort Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) needs to be reinstalled. However, Snort configuration is still being retained.

>>> Upgrading pfSense-pkg-snort...

Updating pfSense-core repository catalogue...

Fetching meta.conf: 

Fetching data.pkg: 

pfSense-core repository is up to date.

Updating pfSense repository catalogue...

Fetching meta.conf: 

Fetching data.pkg: 

pfSense repository is up to date.

All repositories are up to date.

Checking integrity... done (0 conflicting)

The following 1 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):

Installed packages to be REINSTALLED:

pfSense-pkg-snort-4.1.6_26 [pfSense]

Number of packages to be reinstalled: 1

[1/1] Reinstalling pfSense-pkg-snort-4.1.6_26...

[1/1] Extracting pfSense-pkg-snort-4.1.6_26: .......... done

Removing snort components...

Menu items... done.

Services... done.

Loading package instructions...

Saving updated package information...

overwrite!

Loading package configuration... done.

Configuring package components...

Loading package instructions...

Custom commands...

Executing custom_php_install_command()...Saved settings detected.

Migrating settings to new configuration... done.

Downloading configured rule sets. This may take some time...

Downloading Snort Subscriber rules md5 file... done.

Checking Snort Subscriber rules md5 file... done.

There is a new set of Snort Subscriber rules posted.

Downloading snortrules-snapshot-29200.tar.gz... done.

Downloading Snort OpenAppID detectors md5 file... done.

Checking Snort OpenAppID detectors md5 file... done.

There is a new set of Snort OpenAppID detectors posted.

Downloading snort-openappid.tar.gz... done.

Downloading Snort AppID Open Text Rules md5 file... done.

Checking Snort AppID Open Text Rules md5 file... done.

There is a new set of Snort AppID Open Text Rules posted.

Downloading appid_rules.tar.gz... done.

Downloading Snort GPLv2 Community Rules md5 file... done.

Checking Snort GPLv2 Community Rules md5 file... done.

There is a new set of Snort GPLv2 Community Rules posted.

Downloading community-rules.tar.gz... done.

Downloading Emerging Threats Open rules md5 file... done.

Checking Emerging Threats Open rules md5 file... done.

There is a new set of Emerging Threats Open rules posted.

Downloading emerging.rules.tar.gz... done.

Downloading Feodo Tracker Botnet C2 IP rules file... done.

Installing Feodo Tracker Botnet C2 IP rules...Feodo Tracker Botnet C2 IP rules were updated.

Installing Snort Subscriber ruleset...Copying md5 signature to snort directory... done.

Installing Snort OpenAppID detectors...Copying md5 signature to snort directory... done.

Installing Snort OpenAppID Rules...Copying md5 signature to snort directory... done.

Installing Snort GPLv2 Community Rules... done.

Installing Emerging Threats Open rules...Copying md5 signature to snort directory... done.

Updating rules configuration for: WAN ... done.

Updating rules configuration for: LAN ... done.

Updating rules configuration for: DMZ ... done.

Cleaning up temp dirs and files... done.

The Rules update has finished.

Generating snort.conf configuration file from saved settings.

Generating configuration for WAN... done.

Generating configuration for LAN... done.

Generating configuration for DMZ... done.

Generating snort.sh script in /usr/local/etc/rc.d/... done.

Finished rebuilding Snort configuration files.

done.

Executing custom_php_resync_config_command()...done.

Menu items... done.

Services... done.

Writing configuration... done.

Please visit Services - Snort - Interfaces tab first and select your desired rules. Afterwards visit the Updates tab to download your configured rulesets.>>> Cleaning up cache...done.

Success

===============================================================================================================

System Information

===================

BIOS

====

Vendor: American Megatrends Inc.

Version: 5.13

Release Date: Mon Dec 12 2022

Boot Method: UEFI

Version

========

2.8.1-RELEASE (amd64)

built on Wed Sep 10 0:29:00 +08 2025

FreeBSD 15.0-CURRENT

The system is on the latest version.

Version information updated at Wed Oct 15 19:27:34 +08 2025

CPU Type

=========

Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz

Current: 2000 MHz, Max: 2001 MHz

4 CPUs : 1 package(s) x 4 core(s)

AES-NI CPU Crypto: Yes (active)

QAT Crypto: No

Hardware crypto

================

AES-CBC, AES-CCM, AES-GCM, AES-ICM, AES-XTS, SHA1, SHA256

Regards,

Mr. Turritopsis Dohrnii Teo En Ming

Singapore

15 Oct 2025 Wednesday 8.04 PM

REFERENCES

==============

[1] https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-amd64/2025-October/000227.html

[2] https://www.mail-archive.com/freebsd-amd64@freebsd.org/maillist.html - PENDING

[3] https://marc.info/?l=freebsd-amd64&m=176052998912995&w=2

[4] https://lists.snort.org/pipermail/snort-users/2025-October/000864.html

[5] https://marc.info/?l=snort-users&m=176055812405082&w=2