All posts tagged Windows

Always On VPN DPC Commercial Support

The Always On VPN Dynamic Profile Configurator (DPC) is a free, open-source solution that helps administrators deploy and manage Always On VPN client configuration settings using Active Directory, Group Policy, or Microsoft Intune. Since version 5.0, DPC has been publicly available and widely adopted. Until now, support has been limited to the community Discord channel. Many organizations, however, require formal support before they can deploy software, even open-source solutions. To meet this need, Leo D’Arcy and I are now offering a commercial support option for DPC.

Why Commercial Support Matters

Enterprises rely on accountability and timely assistance to ensure business-critical services run smoothly. Open source provides flexibility and cost savings, but it often lacks the reliability guarantees companies require. Commercial support bridges that gap—delivering confidence, faster resolutions, and compliance with internal support standards.

Customer Success Story

A UK National Health Service (NHS) Trust, an early customer of the support program, praised the impact of DPC on its remote access strategy. An infrastructure engineer at the NHS trust has this to say about DPC and commercial support:

“We have recently transitioned from SSL VPN to AOVPN and took the opportunity to use DPC to manage our configuration and deployment. We’ve previously experimented with Microsoft’s officially documented process, but DPC really simplifies and streamlines the implementation and management of the AOVPN tunnels.

During rollout, we discovered an issue that caused the user tunnel config to become corrupt. Being able to directly communicate and troubleshoot with Leo and the team meant that we were quickly able to have a fix and a new version of the client ready for deployment.

We are now running DPC and AOVPN on around 4000 endpoints with around 2000 concurrent connections each day. Feedback from users is very positive, and DPC simplifies ongoing management.”

Value Added

This real-world experience highlights the two most significant benefits of DPC with commercial support: rapid issue resolution (direct access to the people who build the software) and confidence at scale (thousands of endpoints, thousands of daily connections).

What DPC Commercial Support Includes

Purchasing a commercial support package provides:

  • 1 year of support services (renewable)
  • Direct access to Leo D’Arcy, lead developer of DPC
  • Support from Richard Hicks for DPC-related queries
  • Enhanced troubleshooting beyond community channels
  • Prioritized bug fixes
  • Early consideration for new feature requests
  • Dedicated private channels for secure communication

Don’t Wait

With a commercial support package, your organization gains expert guidance, faster issue resolution, and direct access to the team that builds and maintains DPC. DPC commercial support ensures smooth deployments, reduced risks, and compliance with internal support requirements

Learn More

Interested in a commercial support contract for Always On VPN DPC? Email us at [email protected] or complete the form below, and we’ll get back to you with more information.

Additional Information

Always On VPN DPC Open Source

Always On VPN DPC Features

Always On VPN DPC Advanced Features

Migrating from Always On VPN DPC Commercial to Open Source

Always On VPN DPC with Microsoft Intune

Always On VPN Discord Channel

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by Richard M. Hicks on September 29, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, Always On VPN DPC, Microsoft Intune, PowerShell, Windows Server
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 29, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/09/29/always-on-vpn-dpc-commercial-support/

Configure Windows Server DNS64 for IPv6-Mostly and IPv6-Only

Many organizations are modernizing their networks by migrating from legacy IPv4 to IPv6. The goal is to replace IPv4 with IPv6 entirely. However, even though an organization can successfully migrate to IPv6-only networks internally, they do not control networks outside its boundaries. In some cases, a host on an IPv6-only network may need to communicate with an IPv4 resource. Administrators must deploy an IPv6 transition technology to support this scenario. A common solution to address this need is DNS64 and NAT64.

What are DNS64 and NAT64?

DNS64 and NAT64, defined in RFCs 6147 and 6146, respectively, work together to ensure endpoints on an IPv6-only network can still communicate with IPv4-only resources. DNS64 enables IPv6-only clients to communicate with IPv4-only servers by synthesizing AAAA DNS records from A records. When an IPv6-only client queries a domain with only an IPv4 address (A record), the DNS64 server creates a synthetic IPv6 address by embedding the IPv4 address within an administrator-defined NAT64 IPv6 prefix. The default (referred to as ‘well known’) prefix is 64:ff9b::/96. In the example below, the IPv4-only resource ipv4.test-ipv6.com is resolved using the Cloudflare public DNS64 resolver.

Using the synthetic DNS64 address allows the client to send IPv6 packets to a NAT64 gateway, which translates them to IPv4 for the destination server. DNS64 ensures seamless address resolution for IPv6-only networks accessing IPv4 resources without requiring actual IPv6 addresses for the target.

Caveat

While DNS64 is great for ensuring IPv4 access on IPv6-only networks, it has one critical limitation. The client must connect to a resource using a hostname or a fully qualified domain name. If a client attempts to connect to an IPv4 resource directly (e.g., https://172.16.21.12 or \\10.21.12.83\data), the resource will be unreachable. To address this limitation, the 464XLAT IPv6 transition technology must be used. For more information about 464XLAT, see my previous article, Microsoft Begins Rolling Out Windows CLAT for IPv6-Mostly and IPv6-Only Networks.

Enterprise DNS64

While there are public DNS64 resolves from Cloudflare, Google, and others, they aren’t helpful when trying to resolve internal hostnames in the enterprise. Organizations must deploy their own private DNS64 services in this scenario.

Windows Server and DNS64

Today, Windows Server does not natively support DNS64. Organizations are advised to use an enterprise DNS solution such as Infoblox or BlueCat for DNS64 services. Alternatively, administrators can deploy BIND DNS on the Linux platform of their choice. DNS64 is supported in BIND 9.8.0 and later.

DNS64 Proxy

To support testing and evaluation (and perhaps production deployment for smaller organizations), it is possible to configure any supported version of Windows Server to serve as a DNS64 proxy. In this scenario, a Windows Server is configured as a DNS64 server, but the server itself is not an actual DNS server. It does not have a DNS database or zone file; it is not authoritative for any zones and can’t perform conditional forwarding. It simply forwards DNS queries to the servers defined on its own network interface.

Windows Server DNS64 Configuration

The DNS64 service must be installed using PowerShell and the Set-NetDnsTransitionConfiguration command. Administrators will define some variables, configure DNS64, and create firewall rules to allow DNS traffic inbound to the server.

Configure DNS64

On a Windows Server member server (domain-join is optional), open an elevated PowerShell command window and run the following commands.

# Define variables
$AcceptInterface = ‘Ethernet’ # The interface name or alias that will accept DNS64 traffic
$SendInterface = ‘Ethernet’ # The interface name or alias that will send DNS64 traffic
$Nat64Prefix = ’64:ff9b::/96′ # The NAT64 prefix

# Configure DNS64
Set-NetDnsTransitionConfiguration -State Enabled -AcceptInterface $AcceptInterface -SendInterface $SendInterface -PrefixMapping “$Nat64Prefix,0.0.0.0/0” -PassThru

Configure Windows Firewall

Run the following PowerShell commands to configure the Windows Firewall to allow inbound DNS requests.

# Create firewall rules to allow DNS64 traffic inbound
New-NetFirewallRule -Name ‘DNSSrv-DNS-UDP-In’ -DisplayName ‘DNS (UDP, Incoming)’ -Description ‘Inbound rule to allow remote UDP access to the DNS64 service.’ -Group ‘DNS64 Service’ -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 53 -Direction Inbound -Profile Any -Action Allow -Enabled True

New-NetFirewallRule -Name ‘DNSSrv-DNS-TCP-In’ -DisplayName ‘DNS (TCP, Incoming)’ -Description ‘Inbound rule to allow remote TCP access to the DNS64 service.’ -Group ‘DNS64 Service’ -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 53 -Direction Inbound -Profile Any -Action Allow -Enabled True

GitHub

For reference, I’ve posted the relevant commands for configuring DNS64 on Windows Server on GitHub here.

DNS64 Testing

Once DNS64 is configured on the Windows Server, administrators can test operation by sending a DNS query for an IPv4-only resource to the DNS64 server using the following PowerShell command.

Resolve-DnsName -Name ipv4.test-ipv6.com -Server <DNS64 server IPv6 address>

For example.

Resolve-DnsName -Name ipv4.test-ipv6.com -Server 2001:579:6024:510::64

The DNS64 server responds with the native IPv4 address along with the synthesized IPv6 address. However, if the target resource has only an IPv6 address or has both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, both are returned, as shown below.

Summary

DNS64 and NAT64 are essential tools for enabling communication between IPv6-only networks and IPv4 resources. While public resolvers exist, enterprises often need their own DNS64 service for internal hostname resolution. Windows Server does not natively support DNS64, but administrators can configure it as a DNS64 proxy for testing and smaller deployments. In this scenario, Windows Server can provide DNS64 functionality, helping organizations transition toward IPv6-only networks while maintaining access to legacy IPv4 systems.

Additional Information

Microsoft Begins Rolling Out Windows CLAT for IPv6-Mostly and IPv6-Only Networks

Configure DHCP Option 108 on Windows DHCP Server

IPv6 Transition Technology Options – IPv6 Buzz Podcast

Set-NetDnsTransitionConfiguration

RFC 6146 – NAT64

RFC 6147 – DNS64

RFC 6877 – 464XLAT

What is IPv6?

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by Richard M. Hicks on September 15, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, DNS and NRPT, IPv6, PowerShell, Windows CLAT, Windows Server
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 15, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/09/15/windows-server-dns64-and-ipv6-only/

Workplace Ninjas Conference U.S. 2025

I’m excited to announce I’ll be presenting at the inaugural U.S. Workplace Ninjas Conference! This two-day event takes place December 9-10, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. Much like the popular Workplace Ninjas Conference held in Switzerland, this event focuses on systems management and endpoint security with Microsoft technologies. It features an impressive lineup of speakers from around the world.

Session Topics

The conference will feature more than 50 deep-dive sessions on a variety of topics, including:

  • Microsoft Intune
  • Microsoft Entra
  • Microsoft Security
  • Windows 11
  • Cloud Security
  • Automation

Why You Should Attend

The Workplace Ninja Conference is a must-attend event for IT pros to dive into endpoint management, cybersecurity, and Microsoft innovations through expert sessions and networking. Attendees will benefit from the following:

  • Practical Learning: Engage in over 50 expert-led sessions, hands-on labs, and real-world demos focused on Microsoft Intune, Entra, Windows 11, and more.
  • Networking Opportunities: Connect with Microsoft MVPs, peers, and top vendors in a collaborative environment, including the Expo Hall.
  • Specialized Tracks: Benefit from dedicated sessions on Women-In-Tech and Neurodiversity-In-Tech, alongside core topics like cybersecurity and automation.

Register Now

Registration for this two-day event is open now. Be sure to reserve your spot today. I look forward to seeing you there!

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by Richard M. Hicks on September 11, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Configuration Manager, Entra ID, Microsoft Intune, Training and Events
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 11, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/09/11/workplace-ninjas-conference-u-s-2025/

Always On VPN Servers and Failover

When configuring Microsoft Always On VPN, one of the first and most crucial settings is defining the public hostname of the VPN server to which clients connect. If you’re deploying Always On VPN client configuration settings using Intune—either with the native VPN policy template or a custom XML profile—you’ll see that multiple server entries are supported. Intune even allows administrators to define a “default server.” At first glance, this might suggest that the client will try the default server first and automatically fail over to the others if it’s unavailable. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.

Intune VPN Template

When using the native Intune VPN device configuration template, administrators will find multiple entry fields for the servers in the Base VPN section.

In the example below, the Global VPN entry is marked as ‘default’.

Custom XML

When defining VPN settings using XML configuration, administrators can also list multiple servers.

Interestingly, the VPNv2 CSP used by custom XML profiles doesn’t support the concept of a “default server” at all.

How It Really Works

Defining multiple servers in the Always On VPN profile does not enable automatic failover. The client connects only to the first server in the list. The so-called “default server” setting in Intune is ignored, and the GUI even allows you to mark all servers as default, which is meaningless.

However, the configuration isn’t entirely useless. If you define multiple servers, they’ll appear on the client side as manual options. If the first server becomes unavailable, the user can open the Settings app, navigate to the advanced settings of the Always On VPN profile, and select an alternate server to connect manually.

Summary

Although Intune and XML configurations allow multiple VPN servers, Always On VPN does not provide automatic failover. Clients only attempt to connect to the first server in the list, and the “default server” setting in Intune has no effect. Multiple entries are still useful, but only for manual server selection by end-users when the primary server is down. For true automated high availability and redundancy, consider an external solution such as Azure Traffic Manager.

Additional Information

Always On VPN Multisite with Azure Traffic Manager

1 Comment
by Richard M. Hicks on September 8, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, Configuration Manager, Load Balancing, Microsoft Intune
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 8, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/09/08/always-on-vpn-servers-and-failover/

Configure DHCP Option 108 on Windows DHCP Server for IPv6-Mostly

While enterprise adoption of IPv6 has been slow, it is still moving forward. For example, the U.S. federal government has mandated [M-21-07 – PDF] the transition to IPv6 to modernize its networks and enhance security, scalability, and interoperability. During the migration to IPv6, most systems will be configured with both IPv4 and IPv6, a configuration referred to as dual stack. Ultimately, the goal is the elimination of IPv4 entirely and the use of IPv6 exclusively. However, IPv6-only presents some unique challenges.

Access to IPv4

Although an organization can successfully migrate to IPv6-only networks internally, they do not control networks outside its boundaries. In some cases, a host on an IPv6-only network may need to communicate with an IPv4 resource. Administrators must deploy an IPv6 transition technology to support this scenario.

464XLAT

464XLAT, defined in RFC 6877, is a network architecture that facilitates the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 by enabling IPv4 traffic to operate over an IPv6-only network. It combines two translation mechanisms: a client-side translator (CLAT) on the user device, which converts IPv4 packets to IPv6, and a provider-side translator (PLAT) at the network edge, which converts the IPv6 packets back to IPv4 to communicate with IPv4-only internet services. This dual-translation approach allows devices in an IPv6-only environment to access both IPv6 and IPv4 resources without requiring a full IPv4 stack, making it an efficient solution for networks transitioning to IPv6 while maintaining compatibility with legacy IPv4 systems. To support 464XLAT, Windows provides specific functionality for CLAT, though with some limitations.

CLAT for Windows

Windows currently provides CLAT support only for cellular network interfaces. CLAT is not available for Wi-Fi or Ethernet interfaces today. However, Microsoft has publicly announced plans to extend CLAT support in Windows for these non-cellular network interfaces soon.

IPv6 Mostly

IPv6 Mostly, defined in RFC 8925, refers to a network configuration where IPv6 is the primary protocol for communication, but IPv4 is still supported for specific use cases. Devices in these networks prefer IPv6 for most operations, leveraging its larger address space and modern features, while maintaining limited IPv4 compatibility. IPv6 Mostly networks ease the transition from IPv4 to IPv6, balancing modern protocol adoption with support for older applications. They optimize resource usage and prepare networks for a future where IPv6 dominates, with tools like 464XLAT providing seamless IPv4 access when necessary.

DHCP Option 108

DHCP Option 108 is a specific configuration in DHCP that enables IPv6-only networks to signal clients to disable IPv4. When a client receives this option, it deactivates its IPv4 stack, relying solely on IPv6 for communication. Turning off IPv4 when it isn’t needed helps streamline network operations in IPv6-focused environments.

Option 108 and Windows Server DHCP

Commercial DHCP appliances like Infoblox and many open source DHCP platforms natively support DHCP option 108. However, no supported version of Windows Server, including the latest release (Windows Server 2025), supports DHCP option 108 natively. To enable DHCP option 108 on Windows DHCP servers, administrators can create a custom predefined option.

Custom Predefined Option

To create a custom predefined option for DHCP option 108 on a Windows DHCP server, open the DHCP management console (dhcpmgmt.msc) and perform the following steps.

  1. Right-click IPv4 and choose Set Predefined Options.
  2. Click Add.
  3. Enter IPv6 Only Preferred in the Name field.
  4. Select Long from the Data type drop-down list.
  5. Enter 108 in the Code field.
  6. Click Ok.

Assigning DHCP Option 108

Once complete, perform the following steps to assign DHCP option 108 to a DHCP scope.

  1. Select an IPv4 DHCP scope.
  2. Right-click Scope Options and choose Configure Options.
  3. Select 108 IPv6 Only Preferred from the Available Options list.
  4. Enter a value in seconds, in hexadecimal format. This value represents the duration for which a client should prefer IPv6-only mode. For example, 86,400 seconds (1 day) is 0x15180.
  5. Click Ok.

PowerShell

Custom predefined options can also be configured using PowerShell.

Custom Predefined Option

To create a custom predefined option for DHCP option 108, open an elevated PowerShell command on a Windows DHCP server and run the following command.

Add-DhcpServerv4OptionDefinition -Name ‘IPv6 Only Preferred’ -OptionId 108 -Type DWORD -PassThru

Assigning DHCP Option 108

To assign the custom predefined DHCP option 108 to a DHCP scope, run the following PowerShell command.

Set-DhcpServerv4OptionValue -ScopeId 172.16.5.0 -OptionId 108 -Value 0x15180 -PassThru

DHCP Offer

Once configured, if the client indicates support for DHCP option 108 in its DHCP Request, the DHCP server will include it in the DHCP Offer, as shown here.

Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about IPv6 Mostly and DHCP option 108, be sure to listen to the following episodes of the IPv6 Buzz Podcast.

Summary

As organizations continue their transition toward IPv6, DHCP option 108 provides administrators with a simple and effective way to reduce reliance on legacy IPv4 by signaling clients to prefer IPv6-only operation if they can support it. While Windows Server does not natively support this option, creating a custom predefined setting ensures administrators can take advantage of this important feature.

Additional Information

M-21-07 – Completing the Transition to IPv6 for U.S. Federal Government Agencies [PDF]

Microsoft Begins Rolling Out Windows CLAT for IPv6-Mostly and IPv6-Only Networks

How Windows CLAT (WinCLAT) Discovers the NAT64 Prefix

When Windows CLAT (WinCLAT) Is Used on IPv6-Mostly and IPv6-Only Networks

RFC 6877 – 464XLAT: Combination of Stateful and Stateless Translation

RFC 8925 – IPv6-Only Preferred Option for DHCPv4

IPv6 Buzz Podcast on PacketPushers.Net

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by Richard M. Hicks on August 25, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in IPv6, PowerShell, Windows CLAT, Windows Server
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on August 25, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/08/25/windows-server-dhcp-and-option-108/

Always On VPN DPC 5.2.0 Now Available

I’m pleased to announce that Always On VPN Dynamic Profile Configurator (DPC) version 5.2.0 is now available. My good friend Leo D’Arcy has been hard at work for the last few months squashing some bugs and adding a few new features to DPC. If you are running a previous release of Always On VPN DPC, either open source or commercial, it’s time to upgrade.

Important!! DPC 5.2.0 has a bug that prevents the service from stopping. This has been addressed in DPC 5.2.1. Guidance for upgrading from DPC 5.2.0 to 5.2.1 can be found here.

Reminder: We’re on Discord. Join the conversation today!

What’s New in DPC 5.2.0

Always On VPN DPC 5.2.0 has some compelling new features.

  • Exclude Routes from DNS – DPC has a feature that allows administrators to add routes to the routing table using DNS. When this setting is enabled, DPC will attempt to resolve the specified hostname to an IP address and add it to the VPN’s routing table when creating the profile. With 5.2.0, this capability has been extended to exclusion routes, allowing administrators to exclude resources by host name.
  • Write Event Logs to Disk – This setting allows administrators to optionally write DPC event information to a text file in addition to logging them in the event log. Writing event log information to a text file on disk can make troubleshooting easier in some scenarios.
  • Delay Profile Updates – This new feature ensures reliable VPN profile creation after group policy updates take place.

Bug Fixes

In addition to new capabilities, Always On VPN DPC 5.2.0 includes fixes for many outstanding issues.

  • DPC name resolution issue where duplicate IP addresses are returned, resulting in failed route additions when using ‘Allow Routes from DNS’.
  • Missing events in the DPC operational event log.
  • Enabling ‘Disable Disconnect Button’ or ‘Disable Advanced Edit Button’ settings results in a profile mismatch warning.
  • Added resiliency to DPC name resolution when one or more name resolution requests fail.

Group Policy Template

As a reminder, any time there are new features in DPC, there will be corresponding changes to Group Policy administrative template and template language files. Be sure to update your ADMX and ADML files in the group policy central store to take advantage of these new capabilities in DPC 5.2.0.

Recommendation

If you are running any release of Always On VPN DPC, commercial or open source, consider upgrading now to gain access to new features and operational reliability improvements. You can find DPC v5.2.0 on GitHub here.

Additional Information

Always On VPN DPC v5.2.0 Available Now

Always On VPN Dynamic Profile Configurator (DPC)

Always On VPN DPC Now Open Source

Migrating from Always On VPN DPC Commercial to Open Source

Always On VPN DPC with Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Always On VPN on Discord

Always On VPN DPC

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by Richard M. Hicks on August 12, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, Always On VPN DPC, DNS and NRPT, Microsoft Intune, PowerShell, Security Updates, Training and Events, Windows Server
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on August 12, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/08/12/always-on-vpn-dpc-5-2-0-now-available/

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

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by Richard M. Hicks on July 8, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, Authentication and MFA, DirectAccess, Security Updates, Windows Server
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on July 8, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/07/08/always-on-vpn-security-updates-july-2025/

Mastering Certificates with Microsoft Intune August 2025

I’m excited to announce that I will be delivering another edition of the Mastering Certificates with Microsoft Intune course, hosted by ViaMonstra Online Academy. This is a three-day live online training course that takes place August 26-28, 2025. This course dives deep into issuing and managing certificates using Microsoft Intune, covering both on-premises and cloud-based solutions.

Course Overview

This interactive training equips IT professionals with the skills to provision and manage enterprise PKI certificates using Microsoft Intune. It explores Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS), Microsoft Cloud PKI for Intune, and non-Microsoft solutions, with live demonstrations featuring real-world scenarios.

Key Learning Objectives

Those taking the online training course will learn the following.

  • Certificate Basics: Understand certificate roles and enterprise use cases.
  • Deployment Options: Master Intune certificate deployment (Intune policies, revocation, security) and Microsoft Cloud PKI (licensing, benefits, limitations, BYOCA).
  • Intune Deployment: Learn PKCS and SCEP deployment, security best practices, and troubleshooting.
  • High Availability: Explore strategies for reliable certificate management.

Course Highlights

Here are some key highlights for attendees of the training.

  • Expert-Led: Learn from a veteran IT professional, a Microsoft MVP, with deep PKI and Intune expertise.
  • Interactive Demonstrations: The course includes numerous practical exercises in real-world scenarios.
  • Resources: Access to security best practices and sample scripts for automated configuration.
  • Community: Join a private Facebook group for peer collaboration.
  • Live Q&A: Engage directly with the instructor for a clearer understanding.

Who Should Attend?

This training event is ideal for IT administrators, security professionals, and systems engineers working with Intune, AD CS, or Microsoft Cloud PKI for Intune.

Prerequisites

Those attending the online training course should be familiar with the following.

  • Basic networking knowledge (TCP/IP, DNS).
  • Familiarity with Active Directory, Windows OS, and Intune.
  • Access to an AD CS setup and an Azure subscription with Intune Suite licenses.

Why It Matters

Certificates are vital for secure authentication and communication. This course bridges theory and practice, equipping you to deploy and manage digital certificates effectively in cloud-native environments.

Details

Here is some additional information about the training event.

  • When: August 26-28, 2025 (sessions begin at 9:00 AM CDT).
  • Where: Live online via ViaMonstra Online Academy.
  • Cost: $2,395.00 (Sold separately – not included in All-Access Pass).

Why ViaMonstra?

ViaMonstra delivers top-tier IT training from Microsoft MVPs, focusing on practical, up-to-date skills and fostering a collaborative community.

Take the Next Step

Ready to master certificate management with Microsoft Intune? Register at ViaMonstra Online Academy for the August 2025 Mastering Certificates with Microsoft Intune training course today!

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by Richard M. Hicks on June 27, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Authentication and MFA, Azure and AWS, Certificate-Based Authentication, Cloud PKI, Cryptography, Entra ID, Intune Certificate Connector, Microsoft Intune, NDES and SCEP, PKI, Training and Events, Windows Server
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on June 27, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/06/27/mastering-certificates-with-microsoft-intune-august-2025/

Techmentor Conference at Microsoft HQ 2025

I’m very excited to announce that I will be attending the annual Techmentor Conference at the Microsoft HQ campus in Redmond, Washington, this year. The event takes place August 11-15, 2025. The Techmentor Conference is one of my favorite IT pro conferences because it offers unparalleled access to experts worldwide. I will deliver two presentations at this year’s event. I hope you’ll join me!

Entra Private Access

On Tuesday, August 12, 2025, I will be presenting a session on Zero Trust Network Access with Microsoft Entra Private Access. ZTNA is the future of remote access and provides many security and operational benefits over traditional client-based VPN technologies.

T11 – Zero Trust Network Access with Entra Private Access

Cloud PKI for Intune

On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, I’ll discuss Simplified Certificate Management with Microsoft Cloud PKI for Intune. As organizations integrate cloud-native devices in their environments, administrators must solve the problem of issuing and managing certificates for users and devices that are not domain-joined. Cloud PKI for Intune is an excellent solution that provides deployment flexibility to address these unique and specific requirements.

W10 – Simplified Certificate Management with Cloud PKI for Intune

Register Now

Registration for the event is open now. Use the promo code HICKS and receive $500.00 off the price of admission. Don’t miss this excellent opportunity to learn from the best. Register today!

Additional Information

Techmentor Conference at Microsoft HQ 2025

Techmentor Conference at Microsoft HQ 2025 – Session List

Microsoft Entra Private Access

Microsoft Cloud PKI for Intune

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by Richard M. Hicks on June 25, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Authentication and MFA, Azure and AWS, Certificate-Based Authentication, Cloud PKI, Conditional Access, Entra Global Secure Access, Entra ID, Entra Private Access, Intune Certificate Connector, Microsoft Intune, PKI, Training and Events, Zero Trust and SSE
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on June 25, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/06/25/techmentor-conference-at-microsoft-hq-2025/

Always On VPN Security Updates June 2025

Patch Tuesday is upon us again; thankfully, it’s a light month of Always On VPN administrators. The Microsoft monthly security updates for June 2025 include just a few Windows Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) fixes. In addition, an update is available for a vulnerability in the Windows Remote Access Connection Manager. Significantly, DirectAccess administrators are affected this month by a vulnerability identified in the Windows KDC Proxy Service (KPSSVC).

RRAS Updates

The Microsoft security updates for June 2025 address the following CVEs for Windows Server RRAS.

Both RRAS CVEs are Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerabilities with max severity ratings of Important.

Remote Access Connection Manager

A security vulnerability in the Windows Remote Access Connection Manager is addressed with the following CVE.

An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could elevate local access privileges.

KDC Proxy

This critical vulnerability affects those organizations still supporting Microsoft DirectAccess in their environments.

This CVE addresses an RCE in the KDC Proxy Service (KPSSVC) that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code over the network. DirectAccess administrators are encouraged to apply this update as soon as possible.

Additional Information

Microsoft June 2025 Security Updates

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by Richard M. Hicks on June 10, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, Authentication and MFA, Security Updates, Windows Server
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on June 10, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/06/10/always-on-vpn-security-updates-june-2025/

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