Published on: May 2, 2024
Microsoft is warning users that the Windows update released in April 2024 might lead to failures in VPN connections.
Microsoft reported the issue on Tuesday on its health dashboard, explaining that Windows devices updated with KB5036893 on April 9, or the April 2024 non-security preview update, may experience VPN connection failures. The company is developing a fix, which will be included in a future release.
The problem impacts several versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10, including Windows 11 versions 23H2, 22H2, 21H2, and Windows 10 versions 22H2 and 21H2, according to Microsoft.
The company didn’t provide details on the cause of the VPN connection issue or its potential extent but said it’s “investigating user reports, and we will provide more information in the coming days.”
If you use a VPN and have installed the update on a Windows device with one of the affected versions, you should be aware that your VPN connections might be compromised.
If the update is causing you connection issues with your VPN, you can try uninstalling it. However, note that the updates address vulnerabilities, and removing one means losing the security patches that came with those updates, which can put your device at risk. You should only uninstall the update if it severely disrupts your VPN connections and you understand the potential security risks of doing so.
The alternative is to enable your VPN’s kill switch and make sure it works properly. A kill switch disconnects your internet connection if your VPN fails, preventing any data from being transmitted outside the secure VPN tunnel. This is an industry-standard security feature that’s crucial for maintaining privacy and is included in all VPNs we recommend.
Microsoft’s KB5036893 update also introduced a bug that prevents users from changing their account profile pictures, triggering error code 0x80070520. Although Microsoft is working on a solution, this issue remains unresolved in KB5036980, which was released on April 23. While inconvenient, this is less critical than a broken VPN connection.