Microsoft says October updates did not fix Always On VPN bug
Original title: Microsoft says October updates didn’t actually fix VPN issues
After an initial failure, automatic IKEv2 and SSTP fallback can leave connections stuck or report a port already in use.
Microsoft said it wrongly marked an Always On VPN bug as resolved in the October 2026 Windows 11 cumulative updates. The issue affects Windows 11 24H2 and later after the September 2026 security updates when the first Always On VPN connection fails under automatic protocol selection or fallback. Connections can remain stuck in Connecting or later show “The specified port is already in use.” Microsoft returned the status to Mitigated and said a fix is planned in the coming weeks. Administrators can temporarily force SSTP only or IKEv2 only.
Unconfirmed: Microsoft has not named the update that will contain the permanent fix.
- Microsoft first acknowledged the bug to IT admins in late September.
- The Resolved status was applied by mistake on October 13, 2026.
- The workaround is one protocol, either SSTP only or IKEv2 only.
- September updates were also linked to Hyper-V, Remote Desktop, USB audio, login, and File History problems.
Impact: Always On VPN connections fail or remain stuck connecting
| Product | Affected |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows 11 Always On VPN | Windows 11 24H2 and later after September 2026 security updates |
- 1.Change Always On VPN from automatic protocol selection to SSTP only or IKEv2 only.
- Vendors
- Microsoft
- Products
- Windows 11Always On VPN
From the original article
2 min read at bleepingcomputer.com
Microsoft says it mistakenly flagged a bug causing Always On VPN connection issues as fixed in the October 2026 Windows 11 cumulative updates. [...]
By Sergiu Gatlan · bleepingcomputer.com
A short excerpt; the article and its images belong to the publisher. Summary, key facts and assessment above are AI-written from the article and can be wrong.