All posts tagged Microsoft

Always On VPN Traffic Filters and IPv6

Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

Using Traffic Filters with Always On VPN provides administrators the option to configure a true Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution for their field-based users and devices. By enabling traffic filtering, network access over the Always On VPN connection can be controlled using fine-grained policies. Traffic Filter rules can be configured to restrict access based source and destination IP addresses, protocols, and source and destination ports. Administrators can further restrict access based on the application generating the traffic.

IPv6

While testing these features recently, I learned that the Microsoft Endpoint Manager (formerly Intune) user interface does not appear to support IPv6 when configuring traffic filter rules. As you can see here, the UI explicitly asks for an IPv4 address and complains when entering an IPv6 address in the address field, as shown here.

Interestingly, it is possible to add IPv6 addresses in XML, as follows.

<TrafficFilter>
   <App>
      <Id>Microsoft.RemoteDesktop_8wekyb3d8bbwe</Id>
   </App>
   <Protocol>6</Protocol>
   <RemotePortRanges>3389</RemotePortRanges>
   <RemoteAddressRanges>2001:470:f109::/48</RemoteAddressRanges>
</TrafficFilter>

Connection Failure

Unfortunately, after loading the XML on a test client, the Always On VPN connection fails with the following error message.

“Can’t connect to <ConnectionName>. Catastrophic failure.”

In addition, the Application event log records an event ID 20227 from the RasClient source with the following error.

“The user <UserName> dialed a connection name <ConnectionName> which has failed. The error code returned on failure is -2147418113.”

Workaround

At this time, the only known workaround is to update the configuration on the RRAS server to use IPv4 addressing for VPN clients.

Summary

Unfortunately, IPv6 is still a second-class citizen when it comes to Always On VPN. Although enabling IPv6 works well in most common deployment scenarios, the Microsoft Endpoint Manager management console often fails to accept IPv6 entries in IP address fields. In addition, some advanced features such as traffic filtering are incompatible with IPv6.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

Windows 10 Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

Always On VPN Proxy Server Configuration

Web proxy servers are not as common today as they once were, but a few organizations still leverage them to provide secure Internet access for their employees. Commonly they are used to inspect and control Internet traffic and to enforce acceptable use policies. Some organizations may wish to extend this protection to Always On VPN clients in the field by enabling force tunneling. Administrators can define a web proxy server for Always On VPN connections globally for web traffic or individual websites or domains.

VPN Proxy

A VPN web proxy server can be defined when the Always On VPN user tunnel connection uses force tunneling. Although you can still configure a VPN web proxy server with split tunneling enabled, it will not work. It is only functional when force tunneling is in use.

Administrators can configure a VPN web proxy server using the Microsoft Endpoint Manager UI or custom XML deployed with Endpoint Manager or PowerShell. Administrators can define a VPN web proxy server explicitly, or a proxy automatic configuration (PAC) file can be specified.

Note: VPN proxy server settings only work when force tunneling is enabled. Force tunneling is an unsupported configuration for the device tunnel, making the global proxy server setting for the device tunnel unsupported.

Proxy Autoconfiguration

Perform the following steps to configure a VPN web proxy server with a PAC file in Endpoint Manager.

Expand the Proxy section in the Configuration settings of the Always On VPN configuration profile.
Enter the URL for the PAC file in the Automatic configuration script field. Be sure to include the port number in the URL when using a non-standard port.
Leave the Address and Port number fields blank.
Choose Enable or Disable from the Bypass proxy for local addresses drop-down list.

To configure a VPN web proxy server with a PAC file using custom XML, include the following code between the <VPNProfile> and </VPNProfile> tags in the Always On VPN XML configuration file.

Explicit Proxy

Perform the following steps to configure an explicit VPN web proxy server in Endpoint Manager.

Enter the IP address, hostname, or fully qualified domain name (recommended) in the Address field.
Enter the port number in the Port number field.
Choose Enable or Disable from the Bypass proxy for local addresses drop-down list.

To configure an explicit VPN web proxy server using custom XML, include the following code between the <VPNProfile> and </VPNProfile> tags in the Always On VPN XML configuration file.

Namespace Proxy

Administrators can also define VPN web proxy servers on a per-namespace or per-hostname basis. Namespace VPN proxy servers can be helpful for scenarios where routing public websites over the Always On VPN connection is required. Most commonly, this is necessary because the public website restricts access to the IP address of the on-premises Internet gateway.

A namespace VPN proxy server is implemented using a Name Resolution Policy Table (NRPT) rule. At the time of this writing, a bug in Microsoft Endpoint Manager prevents administrators from deploying this option using the UI.

As you can see here, administrators can specify a proxy server as part of an NRPT rule in the Endpoint Manager UI. Notice this section of the UI validates the proxy FQDN correctly.

However, when you try to save the configuration profile, Endpoint Manager returns the following error.

“Unable to save due to invalid data. Update your data then try again: ProxyServerUri must be a valid URL or be empty.”

Interestingly, when entering a URL such as http://proxy.lab.richardhicks.net:8080/ in the Proxy field, the Endpoint Manager UI accepts it and successfully validates. But according to the VPNv2 Configuration Service Provider (CSP) reference, the value must be entered as an IP address. A hostname or FQDN also works based on my testing. Entering a URL as shown in the example above will not work at all.

With that, the only way to implement a namespace VPN web proxy server is to use custom XML. To do this, include the following code between the <VPNProfile> and </VPNProfile> tags in the Always On VPN XML configuration file.

Include the leading “.” to specify the entire domain, as shown above. Omit the leading “.” to specify an individual host (for example, app.richardhicks.com). Repeat this section for each additional host or domain, as required.

Caveat

Unfortunately, the Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser is the only browser that functions with the namespace VPN web proxy server. All modern web browsers, including Microsoft Edge, ignore the namespace proxy setting entirely, which seriously limits this feature’s usefulness in most organizations today.

Workaround

If routing a public website over the Always On VPN tunnel is required, adding its IP address(es) to the Always On VPN connection’s routing table is needed. However, doing this presents some unique challenges, as public websites frequently have many IP addresses, which are often dynamically changing. Also, it is common for public websites to pull content from many different domains or use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), making the problem of identifying which IP addresses to add to the Always On VPN connection’s routing table even more challenging. Further, administrators must update the client configuration each a public website’s IP address changes, adding significant management overhead.

Summary

Routing client Internet traffic through an on-premises web proxy server for Always On VPN clients works well when force tunneling is enabled. Administrators can explicitly define a web proxy server or use a proxy automatic configuration (PAC) file. All web browsers work without issue in this scenario. Using a namespace proxy is only effective when browsing with Microsoft Internet Explorer. All modern web browsers, including Microsoft Edge, ignore namespace proxy settings.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN and the Name Resolution Policy Table (NRPT)

Windows 1 0 VPNv2 Configuration Service Provider (CSP) Reference

Windows 10 Always On VPN Client DNS Server Configuration

2 Comments

by Richard M. Hicks on June 28, 2021 • Permalink

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on June 28, 2021

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2021/06/28/always-on-vpn-proxy-server-configuration/

Always On VPN Updates for RRAS and IKEv2

Many users have reported connection stability issues using Windows Server 2019 Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) and the IKEv2 VPN protocol. Specifically, there have been reports of random disconnects for which the connection cannot be re-established for an extended period. At the same time, other VPN connections may work without issue.

KB5003703

Microsoft has identified an issue in RRAS where the RemoteAccess service enters DoS protection mode, limiting incoming IKEv2 connection attempts. They released an update on June 15 (OS Build 17763.2028) that addresses this issue. Previously, the only workaround was to restart the IKEEXT service, which was highly disruptive if performed during peak hours.

No More Files

In addition, this update includes another Always On VPN-related fix for Windows 10 1809 clients. An Always On VPN user tunnel connection may fail, with an error message stating, “There are no more files.” The problem can occur after an existing user’s certificate is automatically renewed.

Additional Information

Microsoft Update June 15, 2021 KB5003703 (OS Build 17763.2028)

15 Comments

by Richard M. Hicks on June 22, 2021 • Permalink

Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, enterprise mobility, Hotfix, IKEv2, Mobility, Operational Support, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Update, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2019

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on June 22, 2021

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2021/06/22/always-on-vpn-updates-for-rras-and-ikev2/

Always On VPN SSTP Security Configuration

When using Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) to terminate Always On VPN client connections, administrators can leverage the Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) VPN protocol for client-based VPN connections. SSTP is a Microsoft proprietary VPN protocol that uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) to secure connections between the client and the VPN gateway. SSTP provides some crucial advantages over IKEv2 in terms of operational reliability. It uses the TCP port 443, the standard HTTPS port, which is universally available and ensures Always On VPN connectivity even behind highly restrictive firewalls.

TLS Certificate

When configuring SSTP, the first thing to consider is the certificate installed on the server. A certificate with an RSA key is most common, but for SSTP, provisioning a certificate with an ECDSA key is recommended for optimal security and performance. See the following two articles regarding SSTP certificate requirements and ECDSA Certificate Signing Request (CSR) creation.

Always On VPN SSL Certificate Requirements for SSTP

Always On VPN ECDSA SSL Certificate Request for SSTP

TLS Configuration

Much like IKEv2, the default TLS security settings for SSTP are less than optimal. However, SSTP can provide excellent security with some additional configuration.

TLS Protocols

There are several deprecated TLS protocols enabled by default in Windows Server. These include SSLv3.0, TLS 1.0, and TLS 1.1. They should be disabled to improve security for TLS. To do this, open an elevated PowerShell window on the VPN server and run the following commands.

New-Item -Path ‘HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\SSL 3.0\Server\’ -Force

New-ItemProperty -Path ‘HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\SSL 3.0\Server\’ -Name Enabled -PropertyType DWORD -Value ‘0’

New-Item -Path ‘HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.0\Server\’ -Force

New-ItemProperty -Path ‘HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.0\Server\’ -Name Enabled -PropertyType DWORD -Value ‘0’

New-Item -Path ‘HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.1\Server\’ -Force

New-ItemProperty -Path ‘HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.1\Server\’ -Name Enabled -PropertyType DWORD -Value ‘0’

Cipher Suites

Many weak TLS cipher suites and enabled by default in Windows Server. To further enhance security and performance, they can be optimized using a tool such as IIS Crypto. For example, consider prioritizing cipher suites that use ECDHE and GCM with ECDSA to improve security. Also, remove ciphers that use AES-256 to enhance scalability and performance.

Note: AES-256 does not provide any additional practical security over AES-128. Details here.

PowerShell Script

I have published a PowerShell script on GitHub that performs security hardening and TLS cipher suite optimization to streamline the configuration TLS on Windows Server RRAS servers. You can download the script here.

Validation Testing

After running the script and restarting the server, visit the SSL Labs Server Test site to validate the configuration. You should receive an “A” rating, as shown here.

Note: An “A” rating is not achievable on Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 when using an RSA TLS certificate. A TLS certificate using ECDSA is required to receive an “A” rating on these platforms.

Additional Information

Always On VPN SSL/TLS Certificate Requirements for SSTP

Always On VPN ECDSA SSL Certificate Request for SSTP

Qualys SSL Labs Server Test Site

Always On VPN Protocol Recommendations for Windows Server RRAS

Microsoft SSTP Specification on MSDN

2 Comments

by Richard M. Hicks on June 21, 2021 • Permalink

Tagged Always On VPN, cryptography, ECDSA, Microsoft, Mobility, PowerShell, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, RSA, Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, security, SSL, SSTP, TLS, VPN, Windows, Windows 10, Windows Server

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on June 21, 2021

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2021/06/21/always-on-vpn-sstp-security-configuration/

Always On VPN and Autopilot Hybrid Azure AD Join

Windows Autopilot is a cloud-based technology that administrators can use to configure new devices wherever they may be, whether on-premises or in the field. Devices provisioned with Autopilot are Azure AD joined by default and managed using Microsoft Endpoint Manager. Optionally, an administrator can enable hybrid Azure AD join by also joining the device to an on-premises Active Directory domain using a domain join configuration profile in conjunction with the offline domain-join connector. Although enabling hybrid Azure AD join might sound appealing, there are specific deployment scenarios that present some rather unique and challenging problems when using this option.

Offline Hybrid Azure AD Join

For field-based devices, the device must have connectivity to a domain controller to support the initial login when the user has no local cached credentials. The Always On VPN device tunnel can be deployed in this scenario to provide connectivity and allow the user to log in to a new device the first time without being on-premises. The Always On VPN device tunnel is easily deployed using a Microsoft Endpoint Manager configuration profile. Certificates required to support the device tunnel can be deployed with Microsoft Endpoint Manager and one of the certificate connectors for Microsoft Endpoint Manager.

Windows 10 Professional

If a Windows 10 Professional device is configured using Autopilot, and hybrid Azure AD joined is enabled, the Always On VPN device tunnel can still be provisioned, but it won’t start automatically because it requires Enterprise Edition to be fully functional. This prevents the user from being able to logon the first time. The device must be upgraded to Enterprise Edition before the first user logon. There are multiple ways to accomplish this depending on the deployment scenario and activation requirements.

Multiple Activation Key

The easiest way to upgrade Windows 10 Professional to Enterprise Edition is to obtain a Multiple Activation Key (MAK) and deploy that to clients using a Microsoft Endpoint Manager configuration profile. Follow the steps below to create a configuration profile to perform this upgrade.

Open the Microsoft Endpoint Manager console and click on Devices > Configuration Profiles.
Click Create profile.
Select Windows 10 and later in the Platform drop-down list.
Select Templates in the Profile type drop-down list.
Select Edition upgrade and mode switch from the list of templates.
Click Create.

Use the following steps to configure the settings for the configuration profile.

Enter a descriptive name for the configuration profile in the Name field.
Enter a description for the profile in the Description field (optional).
Click Next.
Expand the Edition Upgrade section and select Windows 10 Enterprise from the Edition to upgrade to drop-down list.
Enter your multiple activation product key in the Product Key field.

Once complete, assign the configuration profile to the appropriate groups and click Create.

KMS Activation

If Key Management Service (KMS) activation is required, follow the steps listed previously for MAK. Enter the KMS client setup key for Windows 10 Enterprise which is NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43. The device will complete KMS activation when it can connect to the on-premises KMS host.

Subscription Activation

Windows 10 Enterprise Edition licensing is included in some Microsoft 365 subscriptions. This poses a unique challenge for hybrid Azure AD join scenarios, however. Specifically, subscription activation is a “step-up” process that requires Windows 10 Professional to have been successfully activated previously. Also, this occurs after the user logs on, but the user cannot log on unless the device tunnel is active. Catch 22!

Workaround

A multi-step process is required to address the limitations imposed by subscription activation. To begin, the device must be upgraded to Enterprise Edition, so the device tunnel is available for the initial user logon. This is a temporary, one-time upgrade to Enterprise Edition solely for the purpose of getting the device tunnel to connect and allow the user to authenticate.

To begin, download this PowerShell script and follow the steps below to deploy it to Windows 10 devices using Microsoft Endpoint Manager.

Open the Microsoft Endpoint Manager console and click on Devices > Scripts.
Click Add and select Windows 10.
Enter a descriptive name for the configuration profile in the Name field.
Enter a description for the profile in the Description field (optional).
Click Next.
Enter the location of the PowerShell script in the Script location field.
Click Next, then assign the script to the appropriate device group(s) and click Add.

The PowerShell script will automatically install the KMS client setup key for Windows 10 Enterprise Edition, then restart the network interfaces to ensure the device tunnel starts. This will immediately upgrade the client device to Windows 10 Enterprise Edition and allow the user to authenticate.

Subscription activation with a step-up upgrade to Enterprise Edition still requires that Windows 10 Professional be activated first. To accomplish this, the embedded Windows 10 Professional key must be re-installed on the client. To do this, download this PowerShell script and follow the same steps listed previously to deploy a PowerShell script with Microsoft Endpoint Manager. However, this script should be assigned to users, not devices.

Once this script is run on the client it will be downgraded (temporarily) to Windows 10 Professional edition. After activation is successful, subscription activation will once again upgrade the client to Windows 10 Enterprise Edition.

Considerations

As you can see, the process of getting a Windows 10 Professional edition client onboarded in a hybrid Azure AD joined scenario is somewhat complex. My advice is to avoid this scenario whenever possible. Access to on-premises resources with the Always On VPN user tunnel with full single sign-on support is still available for users on Windows 10 devices that are Azure AD joined only. Unless there is a specific requirement to manage client devices using on-premises Active Directory and group policy, consider choosing native Azure AD join with Autopilot and manage devices using Microsoft Endpoint Manager exclusively.

Special Thanks

I would like to extend a special thank you to everyone in the Microsoft Endpoint Manager community who provided valuable input and feedback for me on this topic, especially John Marcum, Michael Niehaus, and Sandy Zeng. Follow the #MEMCM hashtag on Twitter to keep up on all things Microsoft Endpoint Manager.

Additional Information

Overview of Windows Autopilot

Windows 10 Subscription Activation

Windows 10 Always On VPN Class-Based Default Route and Microsoft Endpoint Manager

Windows 10 Always On VPN Device Tunnel and Custom Cryptography in Microsoft Endpoint Manager

6 Comments

by Richard M. Hicks on April 19, 2021 • Permalink

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on April 19, 2021

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2021/04/19/always-on-vpn-and-autopilot-hybrid-azure-ad-join/

Always On VPN Continue Connecting Prompt

Using the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) with client certificates is the recommended best practice for authentication for Windows 10 Always On VPN deployments. EAP, and especially Protected EAP (PEAP), has a lot of settings to configure and it is not uncommon to encounter issues related to some parameters being defined incorrectly. This post covers one of the more common issues related to EAP/PEAP misconfiguration.

Action Needed?

When establishing an Always On VPN user tunnel connection, users may find the connection does not complete automatically, and they are informed that additional action is needed.

Clicking on the VPN connection and then clicking Connect prompts the user with the following message.

“Action needed. Continue connecting? We don’t have enough info to validate the server. You can still connect if you trust this server.”

Common Causes

This message can occur when (EAP) is used and is configured to perform server validation with a restricted set of NPS servers, as shown here.

NPS Server Certificate

The NPS server performing authentication for the connection request must have a certificate that includes a subject name that matches one of the names of the NPS servers defined in the EAP configuration. The certificate must be issued by the organizations private certification authority (CA).

EAP Configuration

Alternatively, the client-side EAP configuration may be incorrect. Although the NPS server may have the correct hostname configured on its certificate, it may not be entered correctly on the client. Ensure the hostname listed in the “Connect to these servers” field matches the subject name or SAN of the NPS server certificate defined in the network policy used for the Always On VPN user tunnel. Look carefully at the syntax when defining multiple NPS servers. Multiple servers are separated by a semi-colon and there are no additional spaces. Missing either one of these critical details will result in connection prompts. Also, ensure that all NPS servers used for authentication (those defined on the VPN server) are included in this list.

Note: Administrators must ensure that all VPN clients have updated their EAP configuration before adding additional NPS servers to the environment. Failure to do so will result in connection prompts.

Security Best Practice

To be clear, the behavior above is not ideal from a security perspective. Validating the NPS server before authenticating is crucial to ensuring the highest level of security and assurance, preventing credential theft from a man-in-the-middle attack. For this reason, it is recommended that users not be given the choice to authorize an NPS server. Authorized NPS servers should be defined by administrators exclusively. This is accomplished by selecting the option “Don’t ask user to authorize new servers or trusted CAs” in the Notifications before connecting drop-down list, and by selecting the option “Don’t prompt user to authorize new servers or trusted certification authorities“.

Additional Information

Always On VPN Network Policy Server (NPS) Load Balancing

Always On VPN and Windows Server 2019 NPS Bug

7 Comments

by Richard M. Hicks on April 5, 2021 • Permalink

Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, authentication, EAP, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, extensible authentication protocol, Mobility, network policy server, NPS, PEAP, Protected EAP, Remote Access, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10

Tagged Always On VPN, certificate, certificates, EAP, extensible authentication protocol, Microsoft, Mobility, network policy server, NPS, PKI, protected extensible authentication protocol, security, VPN

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on April 5, 2021

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2021/04/05/always-on-vpn-continue-connecting-prompt/

Always On VPN Class-Based Default Route and Intune

In a recent post, I described how to configure routing for Windows 10 Always On VPN clients. In that article, I shared guidance for disabling the class-based default route in favor of defining specific routes for the VPN client. While this is easy enough to do when you use custom XML (deployed via PowerShell, SCCM, or Intune), there is a known limitation when using the native Intune UI that could present some challenges.

Intune VPN Profile Configuration

Defining specific routes is easy to do in Intune using the native VPN configuration profile. In the Configuration settings expand Split Tunneling and click Enable. The administrator can then add routes by entering their Destination prefix and Prefix size, as shown here.

Class-Based Default Route

The limitation with using Intune to configure routes is that there is currently no option to disable the class-based default route as there is with custom XML. This means the routes shown in the example above will be added to the client, but the class-based route will also be added automatically, as shown here (class-based default route highlighted with the arrow).

Considerations

In most cases, the inclusion of the class-based default route along with the administrator-defined routes will not be a problem. However, in some scenarios, it could yield unexpected results. Specifically, Always On VPN clients may have unintended access to some networks over the VPN tunnel. This is most significant for the Always On VPN device tunnel, where it is common to limit access to only specific resources using individual host routes.

Workaround

Today there is no option to disable the class-based default route using the native Intune UI. Your only option is to deploy the Always On VPN profile using custom XML, as described here.

Additional Information

Deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN with Intune and Custom XML

Deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN Device Tunnel with Intune and Custom XML

Windows 10 Always On VPN Routing Configuration

Windows 10 Always On VPN Device Tunnel Operation and Best Practices

4 Comments

by Richard M. Hicks on March 4, 2021 • Permalink

Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, device tunnel, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, InTune, MEMCM, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Microsoft Intune, Mobility, Operational Support, PowerShell, public cloud, Remote Access, split tunnel, split tunneling, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on March 4, 2021

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2021/03/04/always-on-vpn-class-based-default-route-and-intune/

Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

Administrators configuring a Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) server to support Windows 10 Always On VPN connections may encounter an issue where the RemoteAccess service fails to start. Attempts to start the service might seem to work at first, but the service immediately stops again.

Troubleshooting

On the RRAS server, the Services management console (services.msc) or PowerShell Get-Service command shows the RemoteAccess service as being stopped. Attempts to start the service result in failure.

Event Log

Looking at the System event log on the RRAS server shows an error with event ID 7024 from the Service Control Manager source indicating “The Routing and Remote Access service terminated with the following service-specific error: A device attached to the system is not functioning.”

Resolution

This issue is commonly caused when IPv6 is disabled on the server via the registry. To verify, open the registry editor on the RRAS server and navigate to the following location.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters

If the DisabledComponents value is present and set to anything other than 0, set it to 0 or simply delete the DisabledComponents value completely and reboot the server.

The following PowerShell command can be used to remove the DisabledComponents value.

Remove-ItemProperty HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters -Name DisabledComponents

Additional Information

Guidance for Configuring IPv6 in Windows for Advanced Users (Microsoft)

4 Comments

by Richard M. Hicks on January 11, 2021 • Permalink

Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, IPv6, PowerShell, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019

Tagged Always On VPN, AOVPN, enterprise mobility, event ID 7024, event log, IPv6, Microsoft, Mobility, PowerShell, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, troubleshooting, VPN, Windows, Windows 10, Windows Server

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on January 11, 2021

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2021/01/11/always-on-vpn-windows-server-rras-service-does-not-start/

Always On VPN Fails with Windows 10 2004 Build 610

Updated 11/10/2020: Microsoft update KB4586781 has resolved the connectivity issues described in this post. If you had previously installed update KB4580364, please update to KB4586781 immediately.

A recent preview update for Windows 10 2004 has broken Always On VPN. Specifically, after installing the latest Preview update for Windows 10 2004 (KB4580364), Always On VPN connections will fail to connect automatically. They can be established manually, however.

Affected Builds

This issue affects Windows 10 2004 with build 19041.610 and 19042.610.

Workaround

The only workaround currently is to remove this update.

Caveat

Although this is a “preview” update and an optional installation, it is important to know that preview updates are released in the next “patch Tuesday” release. Administrators are advised to carefully consider delaying the implementation until additional testing has been completed.

Additional Information

October 29, 2020 – KB4580364 (OS Builds 19041.610 and 19042.610) Preview Update

Windows 10 Always On VPN Updates for Windows 10 2004

16 Comments

by Richard M. Hicks on November 9, 2020 • Permalink

Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, device tunnel, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, Remote Access, Update, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10

Tagged Always On VPN, bug, enterprise mobility, Microsoft, Mobility, Remote Access, update, VPN, Windows, Windows 10

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on November 9, 2020

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2020/11/09/always-on-vpn-fails-with-windows-10-2004-build-610/

Always On VPN IPsec Root Certificate Configuration Issue

When configuring a Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) server to support Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) VPN connections, it is essential for the administrator to define the root certification authority for which to accept IPsec security associations (SAs). Without defining this setting, the VPN server will accept a device certificate issued by any root certification authority defined in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities store. Details about configuring IKEv2 security and defining the root certification authority can be found here.

Multiple Root Certificates

Administrators may find that when they try to define a specific root certification authority, the setting may not be implemented as expected. This commonly occurs when there is more than one root certificate in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities store for the same PKI.

Certificate Selection

When running the PowerShell command Set-VpnAuthProtocol to define the root certification authority, PowerShell may ignore the administrator-defined certificate and choose a different one, as shown here. This will result in failed IPsec VPN connections from Windows 10 Always On VPN clients using IKEv2.

Certificate Publishing

This issue can occur when root certification authority certificates are published using Active Directory group policy. It appears that Windows prefers Active Directory group policy published certificates over those published directly in the Certification Authorities Container in Active Directory. To resolve this issue, remove any group policy objects that are publishing root certification authority certificates and ensure those root certificates are published in the Certification Authorities container in Active Directory.

PowerShell Script

A PowerShell script to configure this setting that can be found in my Always On VPN GitHub repository here. I have updated this script to validate the defined root certification authority certificate and warn the user if it does not match.

Additional Information

Set-Ikev2VpnRootCertificate.ps1 PowerShell script on GitHub

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Security Configuration

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing and NAT

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Features and Limitations

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Fragmentation

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Certificate Requirements

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