Always On VPN IKEv2 Security Vulnerabilities – January 2022

The January 2022 security updates for Microsoft Windows include several important updates that will affect Always On VPN deployments. Specifically, CVE-2022-21849 addresses a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability that should be addressed immediately. The January 2022 security update also includes updates for several IKE Denial-of-Service (DoS) vulnerabilities, in addition to privilege escalation vulnerabilities in the Remote Access Connection Manager.

Update – January 17, 2022: Microsoft has released out-of-band updates to address the issues with IPsec (IKEv2 and L2TP) when using non-Microsoft VPN devices. Updates can be found here.

Update – January 13, 2022: There have been numerous reports of this update breaking VPN functionality when using non-Microsoft VPN devices. If you are using Windows Server and RRAS you can safely update. If you are using a third-party device, you may encounter problems. In addition, there have been reports of issues with domain controllers and Hyper-V servers after installing this update. Please proceed carefully and be sure to have a backup before updating!

Vulnerable Systems

These vulnerabilities are present on both Windows Server and Client operating systems. Essentially, any Windows server or client using IPsec is vulnerable and potentially exploitable.

Vulnerabilities

The following is a list of security updates related to Always On VPN deployments.

Windows IKE Extension Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerability

Windows IKE Extension Denial of Service Vulnerabilities

Windows Remote Access Connection Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Additional Information

A list of all fixes in the January 2022 security update, along with links to the updates themselves, can be found here.

Always On VPN Connection Issues After Sleep or Hibernate

Always On VPN Connection Issues After Sleep or HibernateLikely the single most common complaint about Windows 10 Always On VPN is that device tunnel or user tunnel VPN connections fail to reconnect automatically after a laptop computer wakes from sleep or hibernate. You will find many complaining about this issue and discussing various attempts at resolution on the Microsoft forums. And while Microsoft has released many fixes the last few years to improve connection reliability for Always On VPN, this one seems to continue to plague them. This issue is also prevalent with DirectAccess deployments.

Fix or Workaround?

Unfortunately, I do not have a specific fix or workaround to share that will magically resolve this ongoing issue. However, there are a few group policy settings that may prove effective in some cases.

Connected Standby Settings

To help address issues with Always On VPN connections failing after sleep or hibernate, open the group policy management console and navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Sleep Settings and enable the following settings.

  • Allow network connectivity during connected-standby (plugged in)
  • Allow network connectivity during connected-standby (on battery)

Always On VPN Connection Issues After Sleep or Hibernate

Always On VPN Connection Issues After Sleep or Hibernate

Additional Information

Are you experiencing issues with Always On VPN reconnecting automatically after sleep or hibernate? Have you found an effective workaround? Share your experience in the comments below!

NetMotion Mobility with Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Intune

NetMotion Mobility with Microsoft Endpoint Manager and IntuneNetMotion Software and Microsoft have now partnered to integrate NetMotion Mobility with Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Intune. NetMotion Mobility is a purpose-built enterprise VPN solution that has many advantages over competing remote access technologies. Using Microsoft Endpoint Manager or Intune, organizations can now quickly and easily provision NetMotion client software to their managed devices.

NetMotion Mobility

NetMotion Mobility is a popular remote access solution designed to meet the needs of enterprise organization with diverse mobility requirements. NetMotion Mobility uses a proprietary transport protocol that, unlike any other solution, is designed for mobility from inception. It includes many advanced features not found anywhere else. You can learn more about NetMotion Mobility here.

Comparing DirectAccess and NetMotion Mobility

Endpoint Manager and Intune

More information about the NetMotion Software and Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Intune partnership here.

Additional Information

5 Things NetMotion Mobility Can Do that Microsoft DirectAccess Can’t
5 Things NetMotion Mobility Can Do that Microsoft Windows 10 Always On VPN Can’t
Comparing NetMotion Mobility and Microsoft DirectAccess

Evaluate NetMotion Mobility

Interested in learning more about NetMotion Mobility? Complete the form below and I’ll provide you with more information.

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