Port err-disabled (psecure-violation) Networking Origin: Network OSI layer 2 · Data Link Last updated 5 Nov 2026

Networking: %PM-4-ERR_DISABLE: psecure-violation error detected on Gi0/5, putting Gi0/5 in err-disable state

The switch shut the port down because a security or protection feature detected a violation.

Exact message you may see %PM-4-ERR_DISABLE: psecure-violation error detectedputting Gi0/5 in err-disable statePort is in err-disabled state
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Seen on: Cisco Networking

Meaning

Read the cause (show errdisable recovery), fix it (extra MAC addresses with port security, BPDU guard, loop or link-flap), then recover with shutdown / no shutdown or enable errdisable recovery cause ... interval 300.

Common causes

  • Port security saw more MAC addresses than allowed
  • BPDU guard triggered by a switch on an edge port
  • Link flap or loopback detected
  • Unsupported SFP inserted
  • UDLD or DHCP-snooping rate violation

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Show the cause: show interfaces status err-disabled
  2. Fix it, then shutdown and no shutdown the port
  3. Enable errdisable auto-recovery with a sensible interval

Detailed fix by platform

Cisco

  1. text
    show interfaces status err-disabled
configure terminal
interface Gi0/5
shutdown
no shutdown

How to diagnose

  1. Cause — Which feature?
  2. Offending device — Removed?
  3. Recovery — Manual or timed?

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Network. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

4-way handshake timeout / Incorrect password — Networking: wlan0: WPA: 4-way handshake failed - pre-shared key may be incorrect / WRONG_KEY (Networking)4-way handshake timeo…arp -a shows (incomplete) — Networking: `arp -n` shows (incomplete) / Destination Host Unreachable — no ARP reply from the next hop (Networking)arp -a shows (incompl…Cannot assign requested address (EADDRNOTAVAIL) — Networking: connect: Cannot assign requested address — ephemeral port range exhausted by TIME_WAIT connections (Networking)Cannot assign request…Duplex mismatch: late collisions / CRC errors — Networking: Duplex mismatch — late collisions, runts and CRC errors on the switch port (Networking)Duplex mismatch: late…MAC flapping / broadcast storm (spanning tree loop) — Networking: %SW_MATM-4-MACFLAP_NOTIF: Host is flapping between ports / broadcast storm (Networking)MAC flapping / broadc…Native VLAN mismatch / wrong VLAN, no connectivity — Networking: %CDP-4-NATIVE_VLAN_MISMATCH / device on the wrong VLAN can't reach the gateway (Networking)Native VLAN mismatch …OSPF neighbor stuck in EXSTART/EXCHANGE — Networking: %OSPF-5-ADJCHG: Nbr 10.0.0.2 from EXSTART to DOWN — OSPF neighbor stuck in EXSTART/EXCHANGE (MTU mismatch) (Networking)OSPF neighbor stuck i…SFP link down / Loss of Signal (LOS) — Networking: Interface down — SFP transceiver Loss of Signal / no receive light (Networking)SFP link down / Loss …Port err-…

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