All posts tagged Microsoft

Always On VPN Options for Azure Deployments

Always On VPN Options for Azure DeploymentsOrganizations everywhere are rapidly adopting Microsoft Azure public cloud infrastructure to extend or replace their existing datacenter. As traditional on-premises workloads are migrated to the cloud, customers are looking for options to host VPN services there as well.

Windows Server

Windows Server with the Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) installed is a popular choice for on-premises Always On VPN deployments. Intuitively it would make sense to deploy Windows Server and RRAS in Azure as well. However, at the time of this writing, RRAS is not a supported workload on Windows Server in Azure.

Always On VPN Options for Azure Deployments

Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2721672/microsoft-server-software-support-for-microsoft-azure-virtual-machines/

Although explicitly unsupported, it is possible to deploy Windows Server and RRAS in Azure for Always On VPN. In my experience it works well and can be an option for organizations willing to forgo formal support by Microsoft.

Azure Gateway

Options for supporting Always On VPN connections using native Azure VPN infrastructure depend on the type of VPN gateway chosen.

VPN Gateway

The Azure VPN Gateway can be configured to support client-based (point-to-site) VPN. With some additional configuration it can be used to support Windows 10 Always On VPN deployments. Azure VPN gateway supports both IKEv2 and SSTP VPN protocols for client connections. The Azure VPN gateway has some limitations though. Consider the following:

  • A route-based VPN gateway is required
  • A maximum of 1000 concurrent IKEv2 connections are supported when using the VpnGw3 or VpnGw3AZ SKUs (2000 supported in active/active mode)
  • A maximum of 128 concurrent SSTP connections are supported on all gateway SKUs (256 supported in active/active mode)

Virtual WAN

Azure Virtual WAN is the future of remote connectivity for Azure. It includes support for client-based VPN (currently in public preview at the time of this writing), but only supports IKEv2 and OpenVPN VPN protocols for client connections. SSTP is not supported at all. Further, OpenVPN is not supported for Windows 10 Always On VPN, leaving IKEv2 as the only option, which poses some potential operational challenges. Virtual WAN offer much better scalability though, supporting up to 10,000 concurrent client-based VPN connections.

Virtual Appliance

The most supportable option for hosting VPN services in Azure for Windows 10 Always On VPN is to deploy a third-party Network Virtual Appliance (NVA). They are available from a variety of vendors including Cisco, Check Point, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, and many others. To support Windows 10 Always On VPN, the NVA vendor must either support IKEv2 for client-based VPN connections or have a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) VPN plug-in client available from the Microsoft store. Click here to learn more about Always On VPN and third-party VPN devices.

Note: Be careful when choosing an NVA as some vendors support IKEv2 only for site-to-site VPN, but not client-based VPN!

Hybrid Deployments

For organizations with hybrid cloud deployments (infrastructure hosted on-premises and in Azure), there are several options for choosing the best location to deploy VPN services. In general, it is recommended that client VPN connections be established nearest the resources accessed by remote clients. However, having VPN servers hosted both on-premises and in Azure is fully supported. In this scenario Azure Traffic Manager can be configured to intelligently route VPN connections for remote clients.

NetMotion Mobility

The NetMotion Mobility purpose-built enterprise VPN is a popular replacement for Microsoft DirectAccess. It is also an excellent alternative for enterprise organizations considering a migration to Always On VPN. It is a software-based solution that can be deployed on Windows Server and is fully supported running in Microsoft Azure. It offers many advanced features and capabilities not included in other remote access solutions.

Summary

Administrators have many options for deploying VPN servers in Azure to support Windows 10 Always On VPN. Windows Server and RRAS is the simplest and most cost-effective option, but it is not formally supported by Microsoft. Azure VPN gateway is an interesting alternative but lacks enough capacity for larger deployments. Azure Virtual WAN is another option but has limited protocol support. Deploying an NVA is a good choice, and NetMotion Mobility is an excellent alternative to both DirectAccess and Always On VPN that is software-based and fully supported in Azure.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN and Third-Party VPN Devices

Windows 10 Always On VPN and Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS)

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Features and Limitations

Windows 10 Always On VPN Multisite with Azure Traffic Manager

Comparing DirectAccess and NetMotion Mobility

Deploying NetMotion Mobility in Microsoft Azure

 

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by Richard M. Hicks on June 24, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, Azure, Azure Virtual WAN, Azure VPN, Azure VPN Gateway, cloud, DirectAccess, DirectAccess Deprecated, DirectAccess End of Life, DirectAccess EOL, end of life, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, IKEv2, Mobility, NetMotion, NetMotion Mobility, OpenVPN, public cloud, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Security, SSTP, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on June 24, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/06/24/always-on-vpn-options-for-azure-deployments/

Always On VPN Users Prompted for Certificate

Always On VPN Users Prompted for CertificateWhen deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN using Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP) authentication with client certificates, administrators may find the VPN connection does not establish automatically. In this specific scenario the client is prompted to select a certificate to use to authenticate to the VPN server.

Always On VPN Users Prompted for Certificate

Multiple Certificates

This can occur when certificates from multiple Certification Authorities (CAs) are issued to the user that include the Client Authentication Enhanced Key Usage (EKU). When this happens, the user is forced to select the correct certificate to use for VPN authentication.

Clearly this is less than ideal, as it not only breaks the seamless and transparent nature of Always On VPN, the user may select the wrong certificate resulting in authentication failure. Ideally the client should be configured to select the correct certificate without user interaction.

Certificate Selection

Follow the steps below to configure automatic certificate selection for VPN authentication.

  1. On a VPN client, right-click the Always On VPN connection and choose Properties.
  2. Select the Security tab.
  3. In the Authentication section click Properties below Use Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP).
  4. In the Select Authentication Method section click Configure.
  5. In the When connecting section click Advanced.
  6. Check the box next to Certificate Issuer.
  7. Select the root CA used to issue client authentication certificates for VPN authentication.
  8. Click Ok four times to save the configuration.

Always On VPN Users Prompted for Certificate

Once complete, export the EAP configuration to XML from the VPN client and paste the new settings in Intune or in your custom ProfileXML.

Certificate Purpose

By default, a client certificate requires only the Client Authentication EKU to establish a VPN connection. In some cases, this may not be desirable. For example, consider a deployment where Client Authentication certificates are issued to all users for Wi-Fi authentication. Depending on the Network Policy Server (NPS) configuration, these certificates may also be used to authenticate to the VPN.

VPN Specific Certificate

Follow the steps below to create a user authentication certificate template to be used exclusively for VPN authentication.

Certificate Template

  1. On the CA server, open the Certificate Templates management console (certtmpl.msc).
  2. Right-click the certificate template configured for VPN authentication and choose Properties.
  3. Select the Extension tab.
  4. Highlight Application Policies and click Edit.
  5. Click Add.
  6. Click New.
  7. Enter a descriptive name for the new application policy.
  8. Copy the Object identifier for later use and click Ok four times to save the configuration.

    Always On VPN Users Prompted for Certificate

  9. If certificate autoenrollment is configured and the certificate is already provisioned to users, right-click the certificate template and choose Reenroll All Certificate holders.

Client Configuration

  1. On the VPN client, follow the steps outlined previously to configure certificate selection.
  2. In addition to choosing a certificate issuer, select Extended Key Usage (EKU).
  3. Uncheck All Purpose.
  4. Select Client Authentication and the following EKUs.
  5. Click Add.
  6. Click Add once more.
  7. Enter the name of the custom EKU policy created previously.
  8. Enter the custom EKU object identifier copied previously from the custom policy.

    Always On VPN Users Prompted for Certificate

  9. Click Ok twice.
  10. Uncheck AnyPurpose and the following EKUs.
  11. Click Ok four times to save the configuration.

Always On VPN Users Prompted for Certificate

Once complete, export the EAP configuration to XML from the VPN client and paste the new settings in Intune or in your custom ProfileXML.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN Clients Prompted for Authentication when Accessing Internal Resources

Get-EapConfiguration PowerShell Script on GitHub

Windows 10 Always On VPN Hands-On Training

7 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on May 28, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, authentication, certificates, enterprise mobility, GitHub, Mobility, ProfileXML, public key infrastructure, Remote Access, Security, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, XML
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on May 28, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/05/28/always-on-vpn-users-prompted-for-certificate/

Always On VPN Clients Prompted for Authentication when Accessing Internal Resources

Always On VPN Clients Prompted for Authentication when Accessing Internal ResourcesWhen deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN using Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP) with client authentication certificates, the administrator may encounter a scenario in which the user can establish a VPN connection without issue, but when accessing internal resources they are prompted for credentials and receive the following error message.

“The system cannot contact a domain controller to service the authentication request. Please try again later.”

Always On VPN Clients Prompted for Authentication when Accessing Internal Resources

Resolution

This can occur if one or more domain controllers in the enterprise have expired or missing domain controller authentication certificates. To ensure seamless single sign-on to internal resources, ensure that all domain controllers have a certificate issued by the internal certification authority (CA) that includes the Server Authentication (1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.1) and Smart Card Logon (1.3.6.1.4.1.311.20.2.2) Enhanced Key Usage (EKU) at a minimum.

Always On VPN Clients Prompted for Authentication when Accessing Internal Resources

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN Certificate Requirements for IKEv2

Windows 10 Always On VPN Hands-On Training

3 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on May 20, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, authentication, certificates, Encryption, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, Mobility, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Security, troubleshooting, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on May 20, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/05/20/always-on-vpn-clients-prompted-for-authentication-when-accessing-internal-resources/

Always On VPN Load Balancing Deployment Guide for Kemp Load Balancers

Always On VPN Load Balancing Deployment Guide for Kemp Load BalancersI’m pleased announce that Kemp has released their Load Balancing Deployment Guide for Windows 10 Always On VPN. Authored by yours truly, this guide provides detailed, prescriptive guidance for configuring the Kemp LoadMaster load balancer to provide important scalability and eliminate critical points of failure in Always On VPN deployments.

Configuration Guidance

Included in the guide are configuration steps for load balancing VPN servers using IKEv2 and SSTP using Kemp LoadMaster. Crucial details for IKEv2 load balancing as well as SSL offload for SSTP are covered in detail. In addition, the guide includes information about load balancing important supporting infrastructure services such as the Network Policy Server (NPS). Finally, guidance is included for enabling active/passive or active/active load balancing as well as geographic load balancing for multisite Always On VPN deployments.

Always On VPN Load Balancing Deployment Guide for Kemp Load Balancers

Download

You can download the Windows 10 Always On VPN load balancing deployment guide for Kemp LoadMaster load balancers here.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN Load Balancing Deployment Guide for Kemp LoadMaster Load Balancers

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing with the Kemp LoadMaster Load Balancer

 

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by Richard M. Hicks on May 13, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on May 13, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/05/13/always-on-vpn-load-balancing-deployment-guide-for-kemp-load-balancers/

Always On VPN and Azure MFA ESTS Token Error

Always On VPN and Azure MFA ESTS Token ErrorConfiguring Multifactor Authentication (MFA) is an excellent way to ensure the highest level of assurance for Always On VPN users. Azure MFA is widely deployed and commonly integrated with Windows Server Network Policy Server (NPS) using the NPS Extension for Azure MFA. Azure MFA has a unique advantage over many other MFA providers in that it supports MFA when using Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP). This makes Azure MFA the solution of choice for integrating with Windows 10 Always On VPN deployments using client certificate authentication, a recommended security configuration best practice.

NPS Configuration

Installing and configuring the NPS extension for Azure MFA is straightforward. Configuration guidance from Microsoft can be found here.

Connection Issues

After installing the NPS extension for Azure MFA, administrators may find that Always On VPN connections fail and the user is never challenged for authentication. The connection eventually times out and returns the following error message.

“A connection to the remote computer could not be established, so the port used for this connection was closed.”

Always On VPN and Azure MFA ESTS Token Error

In addition, the Application event log on the Windows 10 client contains an Event ID 20221 from the RasClient source that includes the following error message.

“The user [username] dialed a connection named [connection] which has failed. The error code returned on failure is 0.”

Always On VPN and Azure MFA ESTS Token Error

NPS Event Log

Reviewing the event logs on the NPS server reveals more information. The Security event log contains an Event ID 6274 from the Microsoft Windows security auditing source that includes the following error message.

“Network Policy Server discarded the request for a user. Contact the Network Policy Administrator for more information.”

Always On VPN and Azure MFA ESTS Token Error

ESTS Token Error

Digging deeper in the operational event log on the NPS server, the AuthZAdminCh log (Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > AzureMfa > AuthZ) contains an Event ID 3 from the AuthZ source indicating an ESTS_TOKEN_ERROR message.

Always On VPN and Azure MFA ESTS Token Error

Troubleshooting ESTS Token Error

Follow the steps below to troubleshoot the ESTS_TOKEN_ERROR.

Prerequisites

Ensure that all prerequisites are met. Validate the user is being synced to Azure Active Directory and that it is properly licensed for Azure MFA.

Certificates

As part of the NPS extension configuration, a certificate is created on the NPS server that is uploaded to Azure Active Directory. To validate the certificate was created and uploaded correctly, follow the troubleshooting guidance found here.

Enterprise Applications

The Azure Multi-Factor Auth Client and the Azure Multi-Factor Auth Connector enterprise applications must be enabled to support the NPS extension for Azure MFA. To confirm they are enabled, open an elevated PowerShell command window on the server where the Azure AD Connector is installed and run the following PowerShell commands.

Import-Module MSOnline
Connect-MsolService

Get-MsolServicePrincipal -AppPrincipalId “981f26a1-7f43-403b-a875-f8b09b8cd720” | Select-Object DisplayName, AccountEnabled

Get-MsolServicePrincipal -AppPrincipalId “1f5530b3-261a-47a9-b357-ded261e17918” | Select-Object DisplayName, AccountEnabled

Always On VPN and Azure MFA ESTS Token Error

If either or both enterprise applications are not enabled, enable them using the following PowerShell commands.

Set-MsolServicePrincipal -AppPrincipalId “981f26a1-7f43-403b-a875-f8b09b8cd720” -AccountEnabled $True

Set-MsolServicePrincipal -AppPrincipalId “1f5530b3-261a-47a9-b357-ded261e17918” -AccountEnabled $True

Once complete, restart the IAS service on the NPS server using the following PowerShell command.

Restart-Service IAS -PassThru

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN Network Policy Server (NPS) Load Balancing Strategies

Deploy Windows 10 Always On VPN with Microsoft Intune

Windows 10 Always On VPN Hands-On Training Classes Now Available

2 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on April 29, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, authentication, Azure, Azure MF, certificates, cloud, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, InTune, Mobility, Multifactor Authentiction, network policy server, NPS, PowerShell, public cloud, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Security, troubleshooting, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on April 29, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/04/29/always-on-vpn-and-azure-mfa-ests-token-error/

Always On VPN Updates to Improve Connection Reliability

Always On VPN Updates to Improve Connection ReliabilityA longstanding issue with Windows 10 Always On VPN is that of VPN tunnel connectivity reliability and device tunnel/user tunnel interoperability. Many administrators have reported that Always On VPN connections fail to establish automatically at times, that only one tunnel comes up at a time (user tunnel or device tunnel, but not both), or that VPN tunnels fail to establish when coming out of sleep or hibernate modes. Have a look at the comments on this post and you’ll get a good understanding of the issues with Always On VPN.

Recent Updates

The good news is that most of these issues have been resolved with recent updates to Windows 10 1803 and 1809. Specifically, the February 19, 2019 update for Windows 10 1803 (KB4487029) and the March 1, 2019 update for Windows 10 1809 (KB4482887) include fixes to address these known issues. Administrators are encouraged to deploy Windows 10 1803 with the latest updates applied when implementing Always On VPN. Windows 10 1809 with the latest updates applied is preferred though.

Persistent Issues

Although initial reports are favorable for these updates and based on my experience the effectiveness and reliability of Windows 10 Always On VPN is greatly improved, there have still been some reports of intermittent VPN tunnel establishment failures.

Possible Causes

During my testing, after applying the updates referenced earlier both device tunnel and user tunnel connections are established much more consistently than before the updates were applied. I did encounter some issues, however. Specifically, when coming out of sleep or hibernate, VPN connections would fail to establish. Occasionally VPN connections would fail after a complete restart.

NCSI

After further investigation it was determined that the connectivity failure was caused by the Network Connectivity Status Indicator (NCSI) probe failing, causing Windows to report “No Internet access”.

Always On VPN Updates to Improve Connection Reliability

Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client

In this instance the NCSI probe failure was caused by the Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client installed and running on the device. The Umbrella Roaming Client is security software that provides client protection by monitoring and filtering DNS queries. It operates by configuring a DNS listener on the loopback address. NCSI probes are known to fail when the DNS server is running on a different interface than is being tested.

Resolution

Microsoft released a fix for this issue in Windows 10 1709. The fix involves changing a group policy setting to disable interface binding when perform DNS lookups by the NCSI. You can enable this setting via Active Directory group policy by navigating to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > Network Connectivity Status Indicator > Specify global DNS. Select Enabled and check the option to Use global DNS, as shown here.

Always On VPN Updates to Improve Connection Reliability

For testing purposes this setting can be enabled individual using the following PowerShell command.

New-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetworkConnectivityStatusIndicator\” -Name UseGlobalDNS -PropertyType DWORD -Value 1 -Force

Third-Party Software

As Always On VPN connectivity can be affected by NCSI, any third-party firewall or antivirus/antimalware solution could potentially introduce VPN connection instability. Observe NCSI operation closely when troubleshooting unreliable connections with Always On VPN.

Additional Information

Windows 10 1803 Update KB4487029

Windows 10 1809 Update KB4482887

Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client Limited Network Connectivity Warning

Network Connectivity Status Indicator (NCSI) Operation Explained

7 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on April 17, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, Cisco, Cisco Umbrella, Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client, cloud, DNS, enterprise mobility, Hotfix, Mobility, NCSI, network connectivity status indicator, OpenDNS, PowerShell, public cloud, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Security, troubleshooting, Update, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on April 17, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/04/17/always-on-vpn-updates-to-improve-connection-reliability/

Always On VPN IKEv2 Features and Limitations

Always On VPN IKEv2 Features and LimitationsThe Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) VPN protocol is a popular choice for Windows 10 Always On VPN deployments. IKEv2 is a standards-based IPsec VPN protocol with customizable security parameters that allows administrators to provide the highest level of protection for remote clients. In addition, it provides important interoperability with a variety of VPN devices, including Microsoft Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) and non-Microsoft platforms such as Cisco, Checkpoint, Palo Alto, and others.

IKEv2 Limitations

IKEv2 is clearly the protocol of choice in terms of security. It supports modern cryptography and is highly resistant to interception. It’s not without some operational challenges, however. Consider the following.

Firewalls

IKEv2 uses UDP ports 500 and 4500 for communication. Unfortunately, these ports are not always open. Often, they are blocked by network administrators to prevent users from bypassing security controls or attackers from exfiltrating data.

Fragmentation

IKEv2 packets can become quite large at times, especially when using client certificate authentication with the Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP). This can result in fragmentation occurring at the network layer. Unfortunately, many firewalls and network devices are configured to block IP fragments by default. This can result in failed connection attempts from some locations but not others.

Load Balancing

Load balancing IKEv2 connections is not entirely straightforward. Without special configuration, load balancers can cause intermittent connectivity issues for Always On VPN connections. Guidance for configuring IKEv2 load balancing on the Kemp LoadMaster and the F5 BIG-IP can be found here:

IKEv2 Fragmentation

IKEv2 fragmentation can be enabled to avoid IP fragmentation and restore reliable connectivity. IKEv2 fragmentation is supported in Windows 10 and Windows Server beginning with v1803. Guidance for enabling IKEv2 fragmentation on Windows Server RRAS can be found here. Support for IKEv2 fragmentation on non-Microsoft firewall/VPN devices is vendor-specific. Consult with your device manufacturer for more information.

IKEv2 Security and RRAS

Be advised that the default security settings for IKEv2 on Windows Server RRAS are very poor. The minimum recommended security settings and guidelines for implementing them can be found here.

IKEv2 or TLS?

IKEv2 is recommend for deployments where the highest level of security and protection is required for remote connections. In these scenarios, the sacrifice of ubiquitous availability in favor of ultimate security might be desired.

SSTP or another TLS-based VPN protocol is recommended if reliable operation and connectivity are desired. SSTP and TLS VPNs can be configured to provide very good security by following the security and implementation guidelines found here.

IKEv2 with TLS Fallback

In theory, preferring IKEv2 and falling back to the Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) or another TLS-based VPN protocol when IKEv2 is unavailable would seem like a logical choice. This would ensure the highest level of protection, while still providing reliable connectivity. Unfortunately, the Windows VPN client doesn’t work this way in practice. Details here.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing with F5 BIG-IP

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Load Balancing with Kemp LoadMaster

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Fragmentation

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 and SSTP Fallback

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Security Configuration

Windows 10 Always On VPN Certificate Requirements for IKEv2

Windows 10 Always On VPN Protocol Recommendations for Windows Server RRAS

5 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on April 15, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, application delivery controller, BIG-IP, certificates, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, F5, IKEv2, Kemp, Load Balancing, LoadMaster, local traffic manager, LTM, Mobility, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Security, SSL, SSL and TLS, SSTP, TLS, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on April 15, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/04/15/always-on-vpn-ikev2-features-and-limitations/

Always On VPN LockDown Mode

Always On VPN LockDown ModeWhen an Always On VPN connection is provisioned to a Windows 10 client, there’s nothing to prevent a user from disconnecting or even deleting the connection. Some administrators have expressed concern about this, fearful that users may disable the VPN to improve performance or circumvent access controls when force tunneling is enabled. Also, administrators may wish to prevent users from accidentally or purposefully making changes to the configuration, or even deleting the connection entirely.

LockDown Mode

To address these concerns, Microsoft included a feature called LockDown mode for Always On VPN. Once enabled, the following conditions apply.

  • The LockDown VPN connection is always on.
  • The LockDown VPN connection cannot be disabled.
  • The user can’t make changes to or delete the LockDown connection.
  • No other VPN connections can exist on the client.
  • Force tunneling is enabled by default (split tunneling in LockDown mode is not supported).

Challenges with LockDown Mode

Always On VPN LockDown mode brings with it some unique challenges, however. Consider the following.

Limited Protocol Support

LockDown mode only supports IKEv2 and the native (built-in) VPN client. Third-party plug-in provider clients are not supported. IKEv2 is an excellent VPN protocol in terms of security, but operationally speaking it has some serious drawbacks.

Force Tunneling Only

LockDown mode uses force tunneling exclusively. All network traffic must go over the VPN connection. However, if the VPN connection is not available, the client will be unable to access any network resources at all, local or remote.

Captive Portal Issues

LockDown mode prevents clients from connecting to network resources from a network with a captive portal.

On-premises Connectivity

In LockDown mode all network traffic must flow over the VPN tunnel even if the client is on the internal network. This also means that if the VPN server is not reachable internally (unable to resolve public hostname, protocols/ports blocked by internal firewall, unable to route to VPN server, etc.) the client will not be able to access any internal or external network resources at all.

Deleting a LockDown VPN Connection

Deleting a LockDown VPN connection is also challenging. Administrators will find that trying to delete it using the UI or PowerShell often fails. To delete a LockDown Always On VPN connection, use psexec.exe to open an elevated PowerShell command window running in the system context using the following command.

.\psexec.exe -i -s C:\windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe

In the new elevated PowerShell window run the following commands to delete the LockDown VPN connection.

$Namespace = “root\cimv2\mdm\dmmap”
$ClassName = “MDM_VPNv2_01”

$obj = Get-CimInstance -Namespace $Namespace -ClassName $ClassName
Remove-CimInstance -CimInstance $obj

Optionally, download and run Remove-LockDownVPN.ps1 here.

Summary

While Always On VPN LockDown mode might seem like a good idea initially, its implementation is heavy-handed and practically speaking ends up causing more problems than it solves. For administrators that plan to enable this feature, carefully consider the drawbacks and limitations outlined above and their impact on supportability and the user experience.

Additional Information

Windows Always On VPN Device Tunnel Config using Microsoft Intune

Windows 10 Always On VPN Security Configuration 

Windows 10 Always On VPN Hands-On Training

 

8 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on April 8, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, device tunnel, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, IKEv2, Mobility, PowerShell, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on April 8, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/04/08/always-on-vpn-lockdown-mode/

Always On VPN Training at TechMentor Redmond 2019

TechMentor Redmond 2019I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be delivering two technical training sessions at this year’s TechMentor Redmond event. This event takes place on the Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA August 5-9, 2019. I’ll be presenting two sessions on Thursday, August 8. They are:

TH16 – Wireshark Essentials: Your First Day with Wireshark

During this session you will learn essential techniques for optimizing packet analysis using Wireshark. Topics will include filter and display tips, workspace oganization, using shortcuts for common tools, and configuring Wireshark profiles. I’ll also touch upon some advanced techniques such as graphing and geography database integration.

TH20 – Always On VPN: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

During this session you will gain a full understanding of Always On VPN including and how it compares with its predecessor, DirectAccess. I’ll share detailed information about this new technology, and how it best fits in to your organizations mobility strategy. Always On VPN has some important advantages over DirectAccess, and some challenging drawbacks. I’ll explain everything good, bad, and even the ugly.

TechMentor Redmond 2019

 

Don’t miss out on this fantastic event. Register now to take advantage of early bird savings, which end June 7. Hope to see you there!

Leave a comment
by Richard M. Hicks on April 3, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, DirectAccess, education, enterprise mobility, learning, Mobility, Remote Access
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on April 3, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/04/03/always-on-vpn-training-at-techmentor-redmond-2019/

Always On VPN Device Tunnel Configuration using Intune

Always On VPN Device Tunnel Configuration using IntuneA while back I described in detail how to configure a Windows 10 Always On VPN device tunnel connection using PowerShell. While using PowerShell is fine for local testing, it obviously doesn’t scale well. In theory you could deploy the PowerShell script and XML file using System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), but using Microsoft Intune is the recommended and preferred deployment method. However, as of this writing Intune does not support device tunnel configuration natively. The administrator must create a ProfileXML manually and use Intune to deploy it.

Device Tunnel Prerequisites

I outlined the Always On VPN device tunnel prerequisites in my previous post here. To summarize, the client must be running Windows 10 Enterprise edition and be domain-joined. It must also have a certificate issued by the internal PKI with the Client Authentication EKU in the local computer certificate store.

ProfileXML

To begin, create a ProfileXML for the device tunnel that includes the required configuration settings and parameters for your deployment. You can find a sample Windows 10 Always On VPN device tunnel ProfileXML here.

Note: Be sure to define a custom IPsec policy in ProfileXML for the device tunnel. The default security settings for the IKEv2 protocol (required for the device tunnel) are quite poor. Details here.

Intune Deployment

Open the Intune management console and follow the steps below to deploy an Always On VPN device tunnel using Microsoft Intune.

Create Profile

1. Navigate to the Intune portal.
2. Click Device configuration.
3. Click Profiles.
4. Click Create profile.

Define Profile Settings

1. Enter a name for the VPN connection in the Name field.
2. Enter a description for the VPN connection in the Description field (optional).
3. Select Windows 10 and later from the Platform drop-down list.
4. Select Custom from the Profile type drop-down list.

Always On VPN Device Tunnel Configuration using Intune

Define Custom OMA-URI Settings

1. On the Custom OMA-URI Settings blade click Add.
2. Enter a name for the device tunnel in the Name field.
3. Enter a description for the VPN connection in the Description field (optional).
4. Enter the URI for the device tunnel in the OMA-URI field using the following syntax. If the profile name includes spaces they must be escaped, as shown here.

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/VPNv2/Example%20Profile%Name/ProfileXML

5. Select String (XML file) from the Data Type drop-down list.
6. Click the folder next to the Select a file field and chose the ProfileXML file created previously.
7. Click Ok twice and then click Create.

Always On VPN Device Tunnel Configuration using Intune

Assign Profile

Follow the steps below to assign the Always On VPN device tunnel profile to the appropriate device group.

1. Click Assignments.
2. Click Select groups to include.
3. Select the group that includes the Windows 10 client devices.
4. Click Select.
5. Click Save.

Always On VPN Device Tunnel Configuration using Intune

Demonstration Video

A video demonstration of the steps outlined above can be viewed here.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN Device Tunnel Configuration using PowerShell

Windows 10 Always On VPN IKEv2 Security Configuration

Deleting a Windows 10 Always On VPN Device Tunnel

Windows 10 Always On VPN Device Tunnel Missing in the UI

Video: Deploying Windows 10 Always On VPN User Tunnel with Microsoft Intune

2 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on March 25, 2019  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, device tunnel, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, GitHub, IKEv2, Manage Out, Mobility, ProfileXML, public cloud, public key infrastructure, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, systems management, VPN, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on March 25, 2019

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2019/03/25/always-on-vpn-device-tunnel-configuration-using-intune/

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