Microsoft Deprecates Legacy VPN Protocols

It’s long overdue, but Microsoft has finally announced the formal deprecation of the Point-to-Point Tunnel Protocol (PPTP) and the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) in Windows Server Routing and Remote Access (RRAS) Servers. Both protocols have long since been replaced with more secure alternatives such as the Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) and Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEV2). However, many organizations have RRAS servers configured using these legacy protocols to support ad-hoc, on-demand access for non-managed users and devices.

Deprecated Protocols

There are a few reasons why Microsoft has deprecated these legacy protocols. Consider the following.

PPTP

It’s been widely known for many years that PPTP is broken and terribly insecure. Using this VPN protocol today is tremendously risky.

L2TP

L2TP is still considered secure, for the most part. However, it has been replaced with IKEv2, which is more secure and efficient.

Future Support

Although Microsoft made the announcement recently, the protocols will still be included in Windows Server 2025 when released later this year. However, Microsoft may remove these protocols from future Windows Server releases.

Always On VPN

Those who have deployed Microsoft Always On VPN are likely already using modern, secure VPN protocols, so this deprecation announcement won’t impact them. Although PPTP and L2TP are technically supported with Always On VPN, they are not commonly configured.

Recommendations

Administrators using Windows Server RRAS for VPN access using PPTP are encouraged to migrate to another protocol immediately. Those continuing to use L2TP should consider migrating soon.

Additional Information

Always On VPN Protocol Recommendations for Windows Server RRAS