If you’re a Windows user who relies on a VPN for work, school, or personal use, you may have run into a frustrating issue recently. A recent Windows update has caused VPN connections to break or fail entirely for many users.
The culprit? The June 2024 Patch Tuesday updates released by Microsoft on June 11th. These routine updates are supposed to fix security vulnerabilities and improve system stability. But this time, they seem to have done the opposite for VPN users.
After installing the updates, which were automatically pushed out to millions of Windows 10 and 11 devices, reports started flooding in about VPN connections no longer working properly. Some VPN clients simply couldn’t establish a connection at all. Others could connect but had no internet access while connected.
For remote workers, students, and anyone else who needs a VPN to access resources or stay secure online, this was a huge headache. Suddenly they found themselves shut out and unable to work or study effectively.
Microsoft has acknowledged the issue and is investigating a fix. But in the meantime, what are impacted users supposed to do? Rolling back the problematic updates isn’t straightforward on Windows 10 or 11. And not using a VPN may not be an option for many due to workplace requirements or online privacy needs.
Some users have had success by uninstalling the June updates completely. But this is a risky process that requires knowledgeable hands. It also leaves your system without the security fixes the updates originally provided.
If VPN cover while connected to the internet is key to you, you might want to check out our article on Best VPNs with a Kill Switch to avoid any data leaks.
The bungled rollout is yet another black eye for Windows updates, which have long been a sore spot for Microsoft’s operating systems. Over the years, we’ve seen updates accidentally delete user data, break critical apps and services, and introduce severe performance issues.
While Microsoft has improved its updating process over time, incidents like this are still far too common. And they’re amplified by Microsoft’s heavy-handed approach of force-feeding major updates to users with little choice or control.
For a company that rakes in billions from its monopoly-level dominance of desktop computing, you’d hope Microsoft could get something as fundamental as patching right consistently. But the Windows update experience remains a game of Russian roulette.
The bigger picture here is the over-reliance on VPNs themselves in the modern workplace and online world. They’ve become a bedroom necessity to work remotely, access resources while traveling, and maintain basic privacy online.
That so many were impacted so quickly by this VPN issue highlights how much we’ve come to depend on these tools – tools Microsoft seemingly ignored or overlooked in its rush to get its June updates out.
Microsoft will likely get this latest VPN mess cleaned up in the coming days or weeks. But the root issues around its negligent update strategy and lack of vision around remote access remain. This is yet another reminder that the Windows giant is resting on its laurels and taking its dominant position for granted.
