Always On VPN Security Updates September 2026

Microsoft released the September 2026 security updates today, which include numerous fixes affecting Always On VPN deployments. This month’s edition addresses vulnerabilities in Windows Server Routing and Remote Access (RRAS), VPN protocols such as Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) and Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2). The updates also include Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS), a crucial supporting infrastructure service for Always On VPN.

RRAS

September 2026 Microsoft security updates include 8 CVEs for RRAS. Four are rated Critical, the most severe having a CVSS rating of 9.8.

RCEs

The following four CVEs are Remote Code Execution vulnerabilities. All are rated critical.

Privilege Escalation

The following two CVEs are RRAS privilege escalation vulnerabilities. All are rated Important.

Denial of Service

Finally, the last CVE addresses a denial-of-service vulnerability in RRAS.

VPN Protocols

The following section outlines vulnerabilities addressed in the September 2026 security updates affecting commonly used VPN protocols.

SSTP

The following four CVEs cover vulnerabilities in SSTP. One is rated critical with a CVSS score of 9.8. The rest are rated Important.

IKEv2

The following CVEs address vulnerabilities in the IKEv2 VPN protocol. All are rated important.

AD CS

Microsoft AD CS is commonly deployed to issue and manage certificates used for encryption and user and device authentication in Always On VPN deployments. The following four CVEs address vulnerabilities disclosed in AD CS. The first two are privilege escalation vulnerabilities, the third covers information disclosure, and the last addresses a tampering vulnerability. All are rated Important.

Summary

The September 2026 Microsoft security updates address several critical vulnerabilities affecting organizations that have deployed Microsoft Always On VPN. Administrators are encouraged to update their systems as soon as possible.

Additional Information

Microsoft September 2026 Security Updates

Always On VPN IKEv2 Security Vulnerability April 2026

Microsoft published its Security Updates for April 2026 today, and the good news is that there are no Windows Server Routing and Remote Access (RRAS) vulnerabilities this month. However, they disclosed a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability that impacts deployments using Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2).

IKE Service Extensions RCE

CVE-2026-33824 addresses a security vulnerability in the Windows Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Service Extensions. This vulnerability is a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical). Always On VPN implementations that use the device tunnel or IKEv2 for the user tunnel are affected.

Impact

This vulnerability presents a unique challenge to Always On VPN administrators as IKEv2 is required to support device tunnel connections. Some implementations also use IKEv2 for the user tunnel. In either case, the vulnerable VPN server, often domain-joined, is reachable from the Internet, greatly increasing the attack surface and exposure to this vulnerability.

Recommendations

For deployments that use IKEv2 (device or user tunnel), administrators should update their RRAS server as soon as possible to protect against potential attacks on this service.

Not Using IKEv2?

If you are not using the device tunnel or IKEv2 for the user tunnel, ensure the following IKEv2 ports are blocked at the edge firewall.

  • Inbound UDP port 500 (IKE)
  • Inbound UDP port 4500 (IKE NAT-T)

In addition, consider disabling IKEv2 on the RRAS server by opening an elevated command window and running the following command.

netsh.exe ras set wanports device = "WAN Miniport (IKEv2)" rasinonly = disabled ddinout = disabled ddoutonly = disabled maxports = 0

Optionally, you can use the Routing and Remote Access management console (rrasmgnt.msc) to perform this task.

  1. Right-click on Ports and choose Properties.
  2. Select WAN Miniport (IKEv2).
  3. Click Configure.
  4. Uncheck Remote access connections (inbound only).
  5. Uncheck Demand-dial routing connection (inbound and outbound).
  6. Enter 0 in the Maximum ports field.
  7. Click Ok.

Additional Information

Microsoft Security Updates for April 2026

CVE-2026-33824 – Windows Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Service Extension RCE

Always On VPN Security Updates July 2025

Patch Tuesday has arrived, and, unlike last month, it’s a busy month for Always On VPN administrators. The June 2025 Microsoft security updates address a whopping 16 (!) vulnerabilities in the Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS). Notably, DirectAccess administrators are once again impacted by a critical vulnerability in the Windows KDC Proxy Service (KPSSVC) this month.

RRAS

As stated previously, this month’s update addresses 16 unique CVEs in Windows Server RRAS. All are memory-related buffer overflows and out-of-bounds reads, indicating that a security researcher was recently probing for vulnerabilities in RRAS.

While all the above CVEs are Remote Code Execution (RCE) and Information Disclosure vulnerabilities, none are rated as Critical; all are rated as Important. This means exploitation is unlikely, but administrators are encouraged to update as soon as possible.

KDC Proxy

This month’s security update includes another Critical RCE in the Windows KDC Proxy Service (KPSSVC).

The KDC Proxy is enabled by default when DirectAccess is configured. By design, this means the service is exposed to the public Internet, posing a significant risk to organizations using DirectAccess for secure remote access. Administrators are urged to update their systems immediately to avoid compromise.

Additional Information

Microsoft July 2025 Security Updates