Little Snitch 6 Released for macOS Sonoma With DNS Encryption, Integrated Blocklists, New Traffic Chart, and More

Austrian developer Objective Development has announced Little Snitch 6, the latest evolution of its popular firewall and network monitoring utility on the Mac. Whenever an app attempts to connect to a server on the internet, Little Snitch shows a connection alert, allowing you to decide whether to allow or deny the connection.

little snitch 6
The key new features include DNS encryption, easier access to blocklists, a redesigned interactive traffic chart, a new Control Center in the menu bar, new hierarchical grouping options in the connection list, new sound notifications, and an overhauled user interface. The full advertised features list is as follows:

  • DNS Encryption: Let Little Snitch encrypt your server name queries to shield your online activities from prying eyes.
  • Integrated Blocklists: Effortlessly select from a curated list of blocklists. Install them with a single click to add an extra layer of protection against unwanted connections.
  • Control Center in Menu Bar: Quickly access essential network information, recent activity charts, and recently blocked connections at a glance, directly from the menu bar.
  • Interactive Traffic Chart: Enjoy a redesigned, intuitive real-time traffic chart for a clearer visualization and analysis of network activity.
  • Hierarchical Connection Grouping: Group connections by application, domain, server, or country to gain deeper insights into network traffic.
  • Advanced Search and Filters: Swiftly locate specific connections or firewall rules with enhanced search capabilities.
  • Usage Statistics: Track and optimize your firewall rules based on usage frequency.
  • Sound Notifications: Stay informed about network activities through customizable acoustic notifications, just by listening. Make connections not only visible but also audible!
  • Rule Groups: Organize firewall rules by topic to conveniently turn related rules on or off together.
  • Enhanced Web Application Support: Gain better and more precise control over external connections initiated by websites.
  • Improved Firewall Rules: Use of cryptographic code signing identifiers for better process identification, resistant to renaming or moving of apps.
  • Simplified Setup: Automatically create rules for installed applications to streamline initial configuration.
  • Enhanced Xcode Simulator Support: Enjoy smoother development experiences with improved handling of processes in Xcode's Simulator app.

Little Snitch 6 supports macOS Sonoma and is available from the Objective Development website for $59 per single license. Existing users can upgrade at a discounted price starting at $39.

Licenses that have been purchased after January 1, 2024, are already valid for Little Snitch 6 at no additional cost. A free demo mode is also included, which offers full functionality for three hours per session and can be reactivated as often as desired.

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...

Top Rated Comments

ninethirty Avatar
12 months ago

Why do they always charge users for upgrade...ugh. Companies like them and Parallels are the reason why people pirate.
This will sound crazy, so bear with me, but when people spend time working on something, generally they like to be paid for doing that.

I will never understand why people today think that because they paid the $60 for a video game, or $20 for some small piece of software, that it doesn't come with free updates for life, including newer versions with newly designed features/content.

The people who spent time to design and build that thing you bought.. they continued to have rent/mortgage, bills, and you know, trying to live life, etc. If you enjoy the work that they do, compensate them for it.

Good grief.
Score: 62 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alchemistmuffin Avatar
12 months ago

Why do they always charge users for upgrade...ugh. Companies like them and Parallels are the reason why people pirate.
Because they haven’t had major release for while. Plus they need the income to keep developing.

At least they have not switched to subscription model where app needs server connection all the time (Which would defeat the purpose of Little Snitch here).
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ashwee Avatar
12 months ago
I've just upgraded. I really like Little Snitch and don't mind paying to support for the development of this.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iMean Avatar
12 months ago

is this mainly used to block software from contacting registration servers? what is the main reason to have it? i am interested but doesn't mac os x provide enough privacy?
- I use it to block ads. This way you don't need another extension in your browser (which often can read all data on any website you are visiting).
- Also you block any ads and any pictures or scripts of ads for ALL programs (Mail, Other Browsers) you use, not just your add on augmented primary browser.
- Trojans, malware etc. can NOT communicate home without you knowing it.
- You block certain countries from all communication (Russia, China, etc.)
- You learn a lot about which data goes where
- You learn and know where your colleagues are working (or slacking). This works at least for MS Teams when you do a phone or video call.

These are just a few examples.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Paradoxally Avatar
12 months ago

Why do they always charge users for upgrade...ugh. Companies like them and Parallels are the reason why people pirate.
Don't start with this rent-seeking nonsense. This is exactly how we got almost every paid app to be a subscription.

Let people actually buy software and own it instead of just renting.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SanderEvers Avatar
12 months ago

Why do they always charge users for upgrade...ugh. Companies like them and Parallels are the reason why people pirate.
Do you have a job? Do you get paid for the work you do? Even if that work is on something you've worked on before?
Charging (a reduced) fee for an upgrade is very nice way for developers to get paid. Honestly it's better then force users into a subscription model.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)