Windows 11 April Update Wreaks Havoc on VPN Connections: Microsoft Scrambles for Fix

On April 10, Microsoft released its regular April 2024 cumulative update for Windows 10/11 and all branches. As a Category B stable update, it was automatically installed on all devices unless users had paused or disabled updates.

However, this batch of cumulative updates contains an unknown bug that can cause VPN connection failures. This can be particularly problematic for enterprise users, as many companies rely on dedicated enterprise encryption tunnels for security.

Microsoft has not yet disclosed the exact cause of the VPN connection failures, but they are working on a fix that will be included in a subsequent cumulative update. The earliest this fix could be available is in the late May non-security preview update (beta update).

Affected versions include:

• Windows 11 23H2
• Windows 11 22H2
• Windows 11 21H2 (original version)
• Windows 10 22H2
• Windows 10 21H2
• Windows 10 LTSC 2021
• Windows 10 LTSC 2019
• Windows 10 LTSB 2016
• Windows 10 LTSB 2015
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2

Microsoft recommends that individual or home users experiencing this issue seek solutions through the pre-installed "Get Help" app on their systems. Enterprise users should contact Microsoft business support for assistance.

Based on current feedback, this does not appear to be a widespread issue. However, if enterprises are encountering this problem and it is impacting normal operations, they should contact Microsoft support engineers as soon as possible to explore temporary VPN workarounds.