If installing the package doesn't restore ipsec.conf, then it's because it was removed outside the package's control, usually.
Could you check /var/log/apt/history.log to backtrack the packages you installed and upgrade to see if there is a clear way to reproduce this problem? That being said, these error messages are intriguing: modified.conffile..etc.ipsec.conf: [inaccessible: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/etc/ipsec.conf'] modified.conffile..etc.ipsec.secrets: [inaccessible: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/etc/ipsec.secrets'] That means at least at the time the bug was reported, the file existed. ** Changed in: strongswan (Ubuntu) Status: New => Incomplete -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1811610 Title: latest strongswan update is broken in 18.10 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/strongswan/+bug/1811610/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs