macOS - Configuration - Ensure the Crowdstrike Service is Running

What the CrowdStrike Falcon sensor verification does

This Automox Worklet™ validates the installation and operational status of the CrowdStrike Falcon sensor on macOS endpoints. The Worklet performs critical health checks by confirming the sensor's application files exist and verifying active connectivity to the CrowdStrike cloud.

The Worklet checks for the Falcon sensor's application directory at /Applications/Falcon.app and runs the falconctl stats command to confirm the sensor is active. If the evaluation detects an inactive or missing sensor, remediation automatically reloads the Falcon Agent and validates the connection.

The sensor manages full-disk access permissions on macOS, giving CrowdStrike visibility into all processes and files on the endpoint. Without an active sensor, your endpoint detection and response (EDR) capability is severely limited.

Why maintain active CrowdStrike Falcon sensor status

A disconnected or inactive Falcon sensor creates a critical security gap. When the sensor stops communicating with CrowdStrike, your endpoint loses real-time threat detection, behavioral analysis, and incident response capabilities. Attackers exploit these blind spots to move laterally, exfiltrate data, or establish persistent access.

Automating sensor health verification maintains compliance with security policies and regulatory requirements like SOC 2, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS, which mandate continuous endpoint monitoring. By catching and repairing sensor failures immediately, you prevent gaps in detection coverage and reduce incident response time from hours to seconds.

IT teams managing hundreds or thousands of endpoints cannot manually verify sensor status at scale. This Worklet eliminates manual overhead by automatically validating the Falcon sensor health across your fleet and triggering remediation when sensors become inactive.

For macOS endpoints specifically, the Falcon sensor requires full-disk access permissions to function. If the agent becomes disconnected, you lose visibility into sensitive data and system processes–including ransomware, data stealers, and advanced persistent threats that operate at the kernel level.

How CrowdStrike sensor verification works

1. Evaluation phase: The Worklet checks whether the Falcon sensor application directory exists at /Applications/Falcon.app. If found, it runs falconctl stats to verify the sensor is actively running and responding. If the sensor exists and is running, the Worklet exits with no further action required. If the sensor is not running, evaluation signals that remediation is needed.

2. Remediation phase: The Worklet opens the Falcon application, waits three seconds for it to initialize, then executes falconctl load to reload the kernel module and restore connectivity. After reloading, it runs falconctl stats again to confirm the agent has successfully reconnected to the CrowdStrike cloud and can report telemetry data.

CrowdStrike sensor verification requirements

• macOS 10.12 (Sierra) or later

• CrowdStrike Falcon sensor version 5.36 or later already installed on the endpoint

• Administrator or sudo privileges to execute falconctl commands and reload kernel modules

• Network connectivity to CrowdStrike cloud services on TCP port 443

• RunNow feature enabled in Automox for immediate remediation of disconnected sensors

• Full-disk access permission granted to falconctl in macOS System Preferences (usually configured during Falcon installation)

Expected Falcon sensor status after remediation

After this Worklet runs successfully, the CrowdStrike Falcon sensor is verified as installed and actively communicating with the CrowdStrike cloud. The endpoint shows green health status in your CrowdStrike console, indicating full detection and response capabilities are active. You can verify this change through the Automox Activity Log or by checking the endpoint configuration directly.

To verify success, check the CrowdStrike Falcon sensor console and confirm the endpoint appears in your asset inventory with an active status. If the sensor was previously disconnected, you will see the agent reconnect and begin reporting telemetry and behavioral data again. The Worklet output log displays "CrowdStrike Falcon Agent is connected" when verification completes successfully.

If remediation fails, the Worklet output includes the error message "CrowdStrike Falcon could not start or connect to CrowdStrike." In this scenario, check the Activity Report in the Automox console for detailed failure reasons. Common causes include network connectivity issues, missing full-disk access permissions, or incompatible Falcon sensor versions.