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Purpose of Knowledge Article:

  • A guide on how to install or uninstall CrowdStrike Falcon from Berkeley Lab computers
  • The CrowdStrike Falcon macOS installer is a universal binary and will work on Intel and Apple Silicon chipsets

Resolution:

IMPORTANT:

  • Be sure to select the correct instructions for the operating system you are using
  • It is highly recommended to read the instructions before installing CrowdStrike Falcon

If you have Sophos Antivirus:

  • If you have Sophos Antivirus on the computer, the CrowdStrike Falcon installer will uninstall it for you.
  • If you have Sophos Antivirus on the computer, a restart will be required to finish the Sophos uninstallation process.

Install CrowdStrike Falcon

Expand the instructions for the operating system you are using:

The CrowdStrike Falcon macOS installer is a universal binary and will work on Intel and Apple Silicon (M1, and M2) chipsets

1 Go to https://software.lbl.gov/swSoftwareDetails.php?applicationID=259 and download CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor for macOS 12 and newer no image
4

Run the CrowdStrike installer you just downloaded

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5 Click Continue for the "Introduction" and "Read Me" section


Leave the default destination as it is and click Continue

Note: if you do not see this screen, continue to the next step.

6 Click Install

7 Type in your computer password

8 Click Install Software
9 Click Allow to the popup saying "'Falcon' would like to filter network content"

10 A "System Extension Blocked" popup will appear, click Open System Settings

11 Select Privacy & Security

12 Look for "System software from application "Falcon" was blocked from loading"
13 Click Allow
14 Type in your computer password

15 Click Unlock
16

click OK on the popup saying "Installer would like to modify apps on your Mac"

You may see this screen pop up, do not worry or panic. Continue to follow the instructions here and everything will turn green.

17 Click Close 

18

Click Move to Trash and continue to Step 2

Purpose of Knowledge Article

Guide on how to give CrowdStrike Falcon permission on macOS 13 Ventura

Resolution

1 Click the Apple icon on the top left corner


2 Click System Settings
3 Select Privacy & Security on the left column


4 Select Full Disk Access on the right side


5

Toggle the slider to on for Agent, or Falcon Sensor

Note: instead of Agent, it may be called Falcon Sensor instead. You will only see on of them, not both.

6 Type in your computer password
7 Click Unlock
8 Click the + icon
9 Navigate to /Application/Falcon or Falcon.app and select it

10

Click Open

11

Now, the sliders for Agent (or Falcon Sensor) and Falcon should both be toggled on

You are done, close System Settings


Note: if you have Sophos, you will need to restart the computer for Sophos to finish uninstalling.

12

Remember this screen? You can click Finish now

If you do not see this screen, see Is CrowdStrike Falcon Running? and do method 1 for Apple.

The CrowdStrike Falcon macOS installer is a universal binary and will work on Intel and Apple Silicon (M1, and M2) chipsets

1 Go to https://software.lbl.gov/swSoftwareDetails.php?applicationID=259 and download CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor for macOS 12 and newer no image
2 Run the CrowdStrike installer you just downloaded

no image

5 Click Continue for the "Introduction" and "Read Me" section

6

Leave the default destination as it is and click Continue

Note: if you do not see this screen, continue to the next step.

7 Click Install

8 Type in your computer password

9 Click Install Software
10 Click Allow to the popup saying "com.crowdstrike.falcon.app" would like to filter network content"

11 A "System Extension Blocked" popup will appear, click Open Security Preferences

12 Select Security & Privacy

13 Click the Lock icon on the bottom left

14 Type in your computer password
15 Click Unlock
16

Look for "System software from application "Falcon.app" was blocked from loading", and click Allow

You may see this screen pop up, do not worry or panic. Continue to follow the instructions here and everything will turn green.

17 Installation is done. Click Close 

18

Click Move to Trash and continue to Step 2

Purpose of Knowledge Article

Guide on how to give CrowdStrike Falcon permission on macOS 11 Big Sur and 12 Monterey

Resolution

1 Click the Apple icon on the top left corner


2 Click System Preferences
3 Click Security & Privacy


4 Click the Lock icon on the bottom left corner


5 Type in your computer password
6 Click Unlock
7 Select Privacy tab
8 On the left column, find and select Full Disk Access

9

Check the box for Agent, or Falcon Sensor

Note: instead of Agent, it may also be called Falcon Sensor

10 Click the + icon
11 Navigate to /Application/Falcon or Falcon.app and select it

12

Click Open

13

Now, both the box for Agent (or Falcon Sensor) and Falcon should be checked

You are done, close System Preferences


Note: if you have Sophos, you will need to restart the computer for Sophos to finish uninstalling.

14

Remember this screen? You can click Finish now

  • The CrowdStrike Falcon macOS installer is a universal binary and will work on Intel and Apple Silicon (M1, and M2) chipsets
  • Please be aware that CrowdStrike Falcon support for macOS 11 (Big Sur) will be discontinued on December 31, 2023
    • You will need to upgrade to a supported version of macOS and if you need help with the upgrade, email [email protected]
1 Go to software.lbl.gov and download CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor for macOS 11 no image
2 Browse to the location where the file LBL_CS_MacOS11_vX.X is downloaded, and double-click on it

3

It will extract a folder called LBL_CS_MacOS11_vX.X, open it.

Leave this folder open, you will return to it.

4 Right-click on the GovLagger... file

5 Select Open With
6 Select Installer
7 Click Continue for the "Introduction" and "Read Me" section

8 Click Install

9 Type in your computer password

10 Click Install Software
11 Click Close

12 Return to the LBL_CS_MacOS11_vX.X folder from step 3 and right-click on the file configuration.command

13 Select Open With
14 Select Terminal
15 Click Open to the popup saying "macOS cannot verify the developer of "configuration.command". Are you sure you want to open it?"

16

In the terminal window that pops up, type in your computer password and hit enter

Note: no character will appear when you type the password here.

17 Click Allow to the popup saying "Falcon would like to filter network content"

18 A "System Extension Blocked" popup will appear, click Open Security Preferences

19 Select Security & Privacy

20 Click the Lock icon on the bottom left

21 Type in your computer password
22 Click Unlock
23 Look for "System software from application "Falcon" was blocked from loading", and click Allow

24

This process may take between 3-8 minutes. Once done you will see it say [Process Completed]

Continue to Step 2

Purpose of Knowledge Article

Guide on how to give CrowdStrike Falcon permission on macOS 11 Big Sur and 12 Monterey

Resolution

1 Click the Apple icon on the top left corner


2 Click System Preferences
3 Click Security & Privacy


4 Click the Lock icon on the bottom left corner


5 Type in your computer password
6 Click Unlock
7 Select Privacy tab
8 On the left column, find and select Full Disk Access

9

Check the box for Agent, or Falcon Sensor

Note: instead of Agent, it may also be called Falcon Sensor

10 Click the + icon
11 Navigate to /Application/Falcon or Falcon.app and select it

12

Click Open

13

Now, both the box for Agent (or Falcon Sensor) and Falcon should be checked

You are done, close System Preferences


Note: if you have Sophos, you will need to restart the computer for Sophos to finish uninstalling.

14

Remember this screen? You can click Finish now

Instructions for Windows 10 and Windows 11 are essentially the same. The main difference is how they look.


1 Go to https://software.lbl.gov/swSoftwareDetails.php?applicationID=259 and download CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor for Windows no image
2 Browse to the location where the file LBL_CS_Win_Installer_vX.X is downloaded, and double-click on it

3

You may see the popup "Windows Protected your PC"

Click More info

If not, skip to Step 5

4 Click Run anyway

5

The pop-up "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" will appear

Click Yes

6

A command prompt window will appear stating "This may take several minutes. This window will close when the full process is complete"

This process will take between 4 to 10 minutes

If you have Sophos, you will need to restart the computer for Sophos to finish uninstalling.

During this process, you may see the following notifications in the bottom right corner. You can ignore it.

This happens because during the transient state, Sophos Antivirus is being removed and CrowdStrike Falcon is being installed.

7

Once the command prompt window disappears. You are done.

If you want to confirm CrowdStrike Falcon is installed and running, see Is CrowdStrike Falcon Running?

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Uninstall CrowdStrike Falcon

Before you proceed to uninstall CrowdStrike Falcon, please complete the CrowdStrike Falcon Maintenance Token Request form. Once you received the maintenance token, you can follow the instructions below to uninstall CrowdStrike Falcon.

1

Be sure to quit the Terminal app before beginning


Under the Apple icon in the top left corner, click System Settings

2 On the left column, select Privacy & Security

3 On the right column, select App Management
4 Click the + icon

5 Select Utilities 

6 Select Terminal
7 Click Open
8 Type in your computer password

9 Click Unlock
10

The Terminal app should now appear under App management

Continue to Part 2


info

If you left the Terminal app running, you will this popup:

You can click Later and manually quit the Terminal app or click Quit & Reopen so the system does it for you now.

This needs to be done before continuing to Part 2.

1 Launch the Terminal app from the Utilities folder

2

Run sudo /Applications/Falcon.app/Contents/Resources/falconctl uninstall -t

3 Type in your computer password and hit Enter key on your keyboard
4

Copy and paste in the maintenance token you received

Note: nothing will show up as you input the maintenance token, so be sure to only paste it once and hit enter

5

You will see a confirmation saying "Falcon is uninstalled"

Note: you must restart the computer to complete the uninstallation process

1 Launch the Terminal app from the Utilities folder

2

Run sudo /Applications/Falcon.app/Contents/Resources/falconctl uninstall -t

3 Type in your computer password and hit Enter key on your keyboard
4

Copy and paste in the maintenance token you received

Note: nothing will show up as you input the maintenance token, so be sure to only paste it once and hit enter

5

You will see a confirmation saying "Falcon is uninstalled"

Note: you must restart the computer to complete the uninstallation process

1Click on the Start Menu icon


2Type in Control Panel
3Click Control Panel
4Click Programs and Features

5Select CrowdStrike Windows Sensor in the list

6Click Uninstall
7

The Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device will pop up

Click Yes

8Paste or type in the maintenance token

9Click Uninstall
10The uninstallation process will take a moment. When it is done, click Close