Message
The kill switch could not be armed
The kill switch could not be armed: what the ForestVPN message ne.wfp_init_failed means, why it appears and what to do about it.
Updated October 11, 2026
What it means
ForestVPN could not start, because the firewall rules that make up its kill switch could not be set up.
What to do
Try again, up to three times. If it still fails, use Report a problem in the app.
Why it happens
On Windows the filtering engine could not be opened. On Linux an nftables table failed to apply.
Where you see it
The Windows and Linux apps show this message. The phone and tablet apps do not have this check. The code is ne.wfp_init_failed.