All posts tagged Mobility

Always On VPN DPC with Intune

In the past, I’ve written about Always On VPN Dynamic Profile Configurator (DPC), a software solution administrators can use to provision and manage Always On VPN client configuration settings using Active Directory and group policy. In addition to streamlining the deployment and management of Always On VPN client settings, DPC has many advanced features and capabilities to ensure optimal security, performance, and connection reliability.

Optimizations

Many settings required to fine-tune and optimize Always On VPN connections are not exposed in the Intune UI or XML. They must be configured by manipulating configuration files, setting registry keys, and running PowerShell commands. Much of this can be automated using Intune Proactive Remediation, but it is far from ideal. Administrators must configure Always On VPN using one method, then deploy optimizations using another. In addition, Proactive Remediation suffers from timing issues where some settings are not applied immediately, resulting in degraded or inoperable VPN connections until changes take effect.

Always On VPN DPC

Always On VPN DPC allows administrators to configure many advanced settings quickly and conveniently using the familiar Group Policy Management console (gpmc.msc). DPC dramatically reduces the administrative burden associated with Always On VPN client management. In addition, DPC enables many of these options by default, ensuring optimal security and reliable operation. Also, DPC immediately implements all configuration settings, eliminating the need to reboot to apply configuration changes.

Intune and ADMX

Historically, Always On VPN DPC could only be used when managing endpoints exclusively with Active Directory group policy. However, DPC can now be used with Microsoft Endpoint Manager/Intune thanks to a new feature that allows administrators to import custom ADMX and ADML administrative templates to Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM).

Note: This feature is in public preview at the time of this writing.

DPC and Intune

The combination of DPC and Intune brings with it many advantages. Using DPC with Microsoft Endpoint Manager/Intune offers administrators simplified deployment and many advanced features provided by Always On VPN DPC. In addition, customers who have deployed DPC on-premises can now migrate seamlessly to Microsoft Endpoint Manager/Intune management without giving up DPC’s valuable features.

Learn More

Enter your contact details in the form below for more information regarding Always On VPN DPC. Also, visit https://aovpndpc.com/ to register for a free Always On VPN DPC trial.

Additional Information

Always On VPN with Active Directory Group Policy

Introduction to Always On VPN DPC

Always On VPN DPC Advanced Features

Always On VPN DPC Video Demonstrations

What’s New in Always On VPN DPC v3.0

Always On VPN DPC Free Trial

2 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on October 10, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in AADJ, Active Directory, administration, Always On VPN, AOVPN, AovpnDPC, Azure, Azure Active Directory, Azure AD, Azure AD Join, Azure VPN, Azure VPN Gateway, cloud, Deployment, Device Management, device tunnel, DPC, Dynamic Profile Configurator, Endpoint Manager, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, Group Policy, HAADJ, Hybrid Azure AD Join, MDM, MEM, MEMCM, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Microsoft Intune, Mobile Device Management, Mobility, OMA-DM, Operational Support, PowerShell, ProfileXML, public cloud, Remote Access, SCCM, System Center Configuration Manager, systems management, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, Windows 11
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on October 10, 2022

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2022/10/10/always-on-vpn-dpc-with-intune/

Always On VPN SSTP and HSTS

HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) is a feature commonly used by websites to protect against protocol downgrade attacks, where an attacker forces the use of insecure HTTP instead of HTTPS. If successful, the attacker can intercept unencrypted communication between the client and the web server. This is undesirable for obvious reasons. As such, web server administrators implement an HTTP response header named Strict-Transport-Security with some additional settings that instruct the user agent, in this case, a web browser, to only use secure HTTPS when communicating with the web server. Attempts to use HTTP will not work.

VPN and SSTP

As security is always a top concern when building an Always On VPN infrastructure, careful attention must be paid to VPN protocol configuration to ensure optimal security. Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) is a popular VPN protocol for Always On VPN user tunnel connections. SSTP uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) for encryption, so administrators are encouraged to implement recommended security configurations, such as disabling insecure protocols like TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 and optimizing TLS cipher suites as described here.

SSTP with HSTS

It would seem that enabling HSTS on a Windows RRAS VPN server would be ideal for improving SSTP security. However, that’s not the case. HSTS prevents protocol downgrade attacks from HTTPS to HTTP, but SSTP already uses HTTPS exclusively, making the use of HSTS irrelevant. If an attacker attempted a protocol downgrade attack on an SSTP VPN connection, it would fail because the service does not support HTTP between the client and the VPN gateway. Additionally, even if it were possible to configure RRAS to send an HSTS response header, it would be ignored by the client because the user agent is not a web browser.

Additional Information

Always On VPN SSTP Security Configuration

Always On VPN SSTP and TLS 1.3

Always On VPN SSTP Certificate Renewal

Always On VPN SSTP with Let’s Encrypt Certificates

Always On VPN SSTP Certificate Binding Error

SSL and TLS Training for Always On VPN Administrators

5 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on September 29, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, AOVPN, certificates, Cryptography, ECC, Elliptic Curve Cryptography, Encryption, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, Mobility, Operational Support, PKI, public key infrastructure, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, Security, SSL, SSL and TLS, TLS, TLS 1.3, TPM, user tunnel, VPN, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 29, 2022

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2022/09/29/always-on-vpn-sstp-and-hsts/

SSL and TLS Training for Always On VPN Administrators

Understanding Transport Layer Security (TLS) is essential for Always On VPN administrators. TLS (formerly Security Sockets Layer, or SSL) is used not only for Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP), the protocol of choice for the Always On VPN user tunnel in most deployments, but many other technologies such as secure websites and email, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), secure LDAP (LDAPS), and many more. High-quality, affordable TLS training is challenging to find, however.

UPDATE! This course has been further discounted for a limited time. Details below!

Practical TLS

Thankfully, Ed Harmoush from Practical Networking has a fantastic training course called Practical TLS that meets these requirements. It is the most comprehensive TLS training course I’ve seen and is surprisingly affordable too!

Course Content

The Practical TLS training course includes the following modules.

  • Module 1 – SSL/TLS Overview (free preview!)
  • Module 2 – Cryptography
  • Module 3 – x509 Certificates and Keys
  • Module 4 – Security through Certificates
  • Module 5 – Cipher Suites
  • Module 6 – SSL/TLS Handshake
  • Module 7 – TLS Defenses

TLS 1.3

The Practical TLS training course does not yet include a module on the newest TLS protocol, TLS 1.3. However, it is due out imminently! Ed is working on the content as we speak, and a preview module is included in the course today. Look for the final TLS 1.3 module soon.

Bonus Content

In addition to excellent TLS training, the course includes free OpenSSL training! Administrators working with certificates in non-Microsoft environments are sure to find this helpful. Understanding OpenSSL will benefit administrators working with network and security appliances such as firewalls and load balancers.

Enroll Now

The cost of the Practical TLS training course is regularly $297.00. It is a perpetual license, so you can view the content whenever you like and as often as you wish. You will also have access to future updates, such as the upcoming TLS 1.3 module. In addition, you can save $100.00 on the course by using promotional code RICHARDHICKS when you sign up. Don’t hesitate. Register for Practical TLS training now!

Special Discount

For a limited time, you can use the code PracticalTLS13 to get this entire course for just $49.00! This won’t last long, so register soon!

Additional Information

Practical Networking Blog

Practical TLS Training Course – $100 Off!

OpenSSL Training Course

Microsoft Always On VPN and TLS 1.3

Microsoft Always On VPN SSTP Security Configuration

Microsoft Always On VPN SSTP Certificate Renewal

Microsoft Always On VPN SSTP with Let’s Encrypt Certificates

Leave a comment
by Richard M. Hicks on September 6, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in ADC, administration, Always On VPN, AOVPN, certificates, Cryptography, ECC, education, Elliptic Curve Cryptography, Encryption, Enterprise, enterprise mobility, IP-HTTPS, learning, Mobility, OpenSSL, PKI, Remote Access, routing and remote access service, RRAS, Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, Security, SSL and TLS, SSTP, TLS, TLS 1.3, Training, Transport Layer Security, user tunnel, video, VPN, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 6, 2022

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2022/09/06/ssl-and-tls-training-for-always-on-vpn-administrators/

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »