PF Configuration Incompatible with PF Program Version: Causes and Solutions
If you update your kernel but forget to rebuild your system tools (or vice versa), pfctl may try to push a configuration structure that the kernel literally doesn't have the "memory layout" to understand. pf configuration incompatible with pf program version
Complete the Upgrade: If you were in the middle of a system update (e.g., using freebsd-update or sysupgrade on OpenBSD), ensure all steps, including the final reboot, were completed. Userland ( pfctl ) expects a specific API
pfctl) expects a specific API or data structure version (e.g., version 10).pf.ko) provides an older or newer version (e.g., version 9 or 11).This error occurs on OpenBSD (or other systems using PF, like FreeBSD) when the current running PF kernel module (the “pf program version”) expects a certain syntax or feature set, but the configuration file (/etc/pf.conf) uses rules or options from a different PF version. Cause: Third-party tools or manually edited pf
On FreeBSD:
Check for Stale Binaries: If you have multiple versions of pfctl installed (perhaps one in /sbin/ and another from a package in /usr/local/sbin/), ensure you are calling the one that matches your current kernel version. Diagnostic Command