FortiClient VPN disconnect on screen lock - macOS

[funkylicious]

Hello,

As a continuation of a previous thread that was marked as Solved by the person that opened it, the issue appears to be present on 7.4.3.6667 but on 7.4.1.1716 it was not present/affected by whatever is causing it.

It happens when the lock screen is either manually initiated or the computer reaches the timer that is set to start it.

The disconnect is almost instant as soon as the lock screen is being trigger with the laptop being connected to a power outlet so not on battery.

At the previous version 7.4.1 it never disconnected even if the laptop was in lock screen for hours, it remained connected to the VPN.

These are the only logs that I could find and maybe someone could help remediate this issue because it's quite annoying to be fair.

We are aware that it's a free version of FortiClient w/o support but considering some vulnerabilities are fixed within the latest version and a downgrade to a previous one isn't a real option and neither deactivating lock screen ( since it company policies dictate to enter after a certain time ) , we would find what it's causing this disconnection.

20251217 09:57:45.436 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] AppDelegate.swift:379 System is locked/sleep
20251217 09:57:45.436 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] AppDelegate.swift:393 System is going to sleep
20251217 09:57:45.436 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:2163 Check VPN Connect without Reauth
20251217 09:57:45.437 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:2174 VPN Connection without reauthentication enabled, timeout: 60
20251217 09:57:45.450 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:2189 VPN Information saved.
20251217 09:57:45.457 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1808 Stop current VPN
20251217 09:57:45.457 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1811 Current VPN GTS
20251217 09:57:45.457 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] sslvpn_bridge.mm:605 VPN session stop
20251217 09:57:45.457 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] vpnconnection.mm:1028 VPN Process is not running.
20251217 09:57:45.459 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1134 On VPN status change: TunnelRunning -> Disconnecting
20251217 09:57:45.459 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:1305 VPN disconnecting
20251217 09:57:45.567 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:831 VPN tunnel provider Main status changed: Disconnecting
20251217 09:57:45.567 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1134 On VPN status change: Disconnecting -> Disconnecting
20251217 09:57:45.567 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:1305 VPN disconnecting
20251217 09:57:46.625 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:831 VPN tunnel provider Main status changed: Disconnected
20251217 09:57:46.627 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1134 On VPN status change: Disconnecting -> NotConnected
20251217 09:57:46.628 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:1184 VPN disconnected
20251217 09:57:46.629 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:958 On VPN session end
20251217 09:57:46.633 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:981 Uninstall WINS
20251217 09:57:46.634 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1004 Waiting for VPN session to end
20251217 09:57:46.635 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] sslvpn_bridge.mm:613 VPN session wait until finished
20251217 09:57:46.639 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1006 VPN session ended
20251217 09:57:46.639 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1021 On VPN disconnected
20251217 09:57:46.639 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] VpnManager.swift:1039 System sleep disconnect enabled
20251217 09:57:46.644 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:INFO] VpnManager.swift:986 Config firewall policy succeeded
20251217 10:10:17.359 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] AppDelegate.swift:385 System is unlocked
20251217 10:10:17.375 TZ=+0200 [FortiTray:DEBG] AppDelegate.swift:410 System unlocked/woke up

[AEK]

Hy Funky

I don't have any reference but looking to the above logs for me it looks like an intentional change in FCT VPN behavior.

[funkylicious]

Hi AEK, 

It would appear so.

I've reverted in the end back to the working 7.4.1 version ( it quite annoying to log in back to the VPN and approving the FTM everytime ) and I noticed at the lock screen/System lock messages are no longer visibile in the logs and I guess that FCT just ignores them, whereas in 7.4.3 they are visible and it takes action upon them.

[AEK]

If I had MacOS I'd probably try openfortivpn, just to see the behavior.