KB43929 - Pulse Desktop Client fails to connect with error "Error 1205 Failed to setup virtual adapter" on macOS when split tunneling policies are configured with more than 50+ routes

This article describes an issue when Pulse Desktop Client fails to launch with error "Error 1205 Failed to setup virtual adapter" on macOS when split tunneling policies are configured with more than 50+ routes.

When connecting with Pulse Desktop Client for macOS 9.0R1 to 9.0R2.1, the following error message will occur:

Error 1205 Failed to setup virtual adapter

In the debuglog.log, the following message will appear:

dsAccessService dsTMService p0060 t2807 PulseFirewall.mm:61 - 'firewallAPI' Calls 'open' method on driver
dsAccessService dsTMService p0060 t2807 PulseFirewall.mm:79 - 'firewallAPI' Failed to deserialize firewall 
rules; error = IOCFUnserialize: syntax error near line 1
dsAccessService dsTMService p0060 t2807 FwKextFilterImpl.cpp:42 - 'FI' Error fetching rules names from fwKext 
during removeTERules...
dsAccessService dsTMService p0060 t2807 FwKextFilterImpl.cpp:709 - 'FI' Error removing TE rules during Enable...
dsAccessService dsTMService p0060 t2807 tunnel2.cpp:603 - 'TM'  Enable EnforcementPolicy failed 0xe0000001
dsAccessService iveConnectionMethod p0060 t2807 ncAdapter.cpp:298 - 'ncAccessMethod' Can't connect to 
TM Inteface: 0xe0000001
dsAccessService iveConnectionMethod p0060 t2807 ncSession.cpp:155 - 'session' tunnel setup failed 105

This issue occurs due to bug when traffic enforcement is enabled and unable to properly save the split tunnel routes for Pulse Desktop Client for macOS.

This issue is applicable when all conditions are met:

1. Traffic enforcement feature is enabled on Pulse Connect Secure
2. Split tunneling feature is enabled with more than 50+ routes
3. Pulse Desktop Client 9.0R1 to 9.0R2.1

This issue is not applicable to Pulse Desktop Client 5.3RX and below (regardless if traffic enforcement is enabled).

To resolve this problem, please upgrade to Pulse Desktop Client 9.0R3 and above.

Workaround:

1. Disable traffic enforcement on the corresponding user roles (until an upgrade can occur)
2. Use the latest Pulse Desktop Client 5.3RX