Symptom: Currently there is no automated connection pre-login. SBL will always require intervention, user must follow a couple of clicks to get to AnyConnect's PLAP (Pre Login Access Provider) to start a connection.
I have tried multiple times to get cisco AnyConnect to appear on the autopilot setup and be an option when prompted for the user to sign in. The Intune wrapper I have setup works correctly from the portal install but when I get to the login screen on the machine that has started autopilot it is not shown as an option. Enable SBL in anyconnect profiles. Both of them are in screenshot attached. But the problems is, although laptops in lab have been installed with SBL module, when we reboot laptop, there is an anyconnect icon called status, which spins and looks like trying to connect, but then falls back to windows login screen, instead of asking for. Cisco AnyConnect is cross-platform. It can be used on Microsoft, Linux, and Mac operating systems. Depending on the plan used, it can connect thousands of laptops into a single encrypted connection. Powerful mobile defense. Cisco has developed a product that is useful for business with valuable assets distributed across the world. The Cisco AnyConnect SBL is installed on the client machine. The UseStartBeforeLogon option is set to true in the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client profile.
This post describes how to configure the Cisco ASA and AnyConnect VPN to use the Start-Before Logon (SBL) feature. This allows the user to connect to the VPN before logging onto Windows, thus allowing login scripts and Windows Group Policies to be applied.
Create/Modify the AnyConnect Profile
- Open the AnyConnect VPN Profile Editor
- Open the existing VPN Profile or create a new file
- Under VPN > Preferences (Part 1) select User Start Before Logon
- Ensure the Certificate Store is All
- If creating a new profile navigate to Server List
- Click Add to define a new server
- Define the Display Name (required)
- Define the FQDN or IP Address
- Select the Primary Protocol
- Save the AnyConnect Profile to the local computer, named appropriately e.g. RAS.xml
ASA Configuration
- Copy the AnyConnect Profile RAS.xml to the ASA, with a Profile Name of RASProfile
- Modify the Group Policy in use by the tunnel-group and reference the AnyConnect Profile previously created.
- Modify the Group Policy in use by the tunnel-group and enable SBL vpngina
- Save the ASA configuration
Testing/Verification
- Connect to the VPN tunnel, upon first connection the client should detect that SBL has been enabled and automatically download
- It will automatically install
- Reboot the computer
- After reboot the SBL icon should be visible at the login prompt, at the bottom right of the screen
- Press the button and wait to be prompted for authentication
If connected to the VPN successfully you will notice the Disconnect button appear at the bottom right of the login screen. You should now be able to login to the computer as normal with full network connectivity, dependant on an ACL (DACL or VPN Filter) applied to the VPN session.
Troubleshooting
AnyConnect Client Downloads
Make sure the Local AnyConnect VPN Policy permits downloads of client, otherwise you will receive the following error “Automatic profile updates are disabled and the local VPN profile does not match the secure gateway VPN profile.”
If you receive this error run the AnyConnect Profile Editor – VPN Local Policy application
- Open the file C:ProgramDataCiscoCisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility ClientAnyConnectLocalPolicy.XML
- Untick the box Bypass Downloader
- Alternatively edit the same file in notepad an change to <BypassDownloader>false<BypassDownloader>
ASA Identity Certificate
You must ensure that the Windows client trusts the certificate presented to the client as part of the authentication process. If you receive a certificate error when connecting to the VPN normally, you will be unable to connect using SBL.
If you attempt to connect to the VPN using SBL with an invalid certificate on the ASA or the Windows client does not trust the certificate you will receive the following error:- “AnyConnect cannot confirm it is connected to your secure gateway“. It does NOT present the option to Connect Anyway.
This post describes how to configure a CA Trustpoint on the ASA and install the identity certificate and root certificate.
After installing the certificate on the ASA, connect to the VPN and confirm you do not receive any certificate warnings before attempting to connect using SBL.
Machine Certificate
If the tunnel-group is configured to use certificate or aaa + certificates authentication, ensure the Windows computer has a Machine Certificate. Without a machine certificate you will receive the following error: – “No valid certificates available for authentication”.
Certificate Store
If the tunnel-group is configured to use certificate or aaa + certificates authentication, the AnyConnect Profile must be configured to check All Certificate Store (as mentioned in the previous configuration section) for SBL to work.
If you connect to the SBL and the AnyConnect client does not check the Machine Store, you will receive the error “Certificate Validation Failure“.
This post describes how to configure the Cisco ASA and AnyConnect VPN to use the Start-Before Logon (SBL) feature. This allows the user to connect to the VPN before logging onto Windows, thus allowing login scripts and Windows Group Policies to be applied.
Create/Modify the AnyConnect Profile
- Open the AnyConnect VPN Profile Editor
- Open the existing VPN Profile or create a new file
- Under VPN > Preferences (Part 1) select User Start Before Logon
- Ensure the Certificate Store is All
- If creating a new profile navigate to Server List
- Click Add to define a new server
- Define the Display Name (required)
- Define the FQDN or IP Address
- Select the Primary Protocol
- Save the AnyConnect Profile to the local computer, named appropriately e.g. RAS.xml
ASA Configuration
- Copy the AnyConnect Profile RAS.xml to the ASA, with a Profile Name of RASProfile
- Modify the Group Policy in use by the tunnel-group and reference the AnyConnect Profile previously created.
- Modify the Group Policy in use by the tunnel-group and enable SBL vpngina
- Save the ASA configuration
Testing/Verification
- Connect to the VPN tunnel, upon first connection the client should detect that SBL has been enabled and automatically download
- It will automatically install
- Reboot the computer
- After reboot the SBL icon should be visible at the login prompt, at the bottom right of the screen
- Press the button and wait to be prompted for authentication
Cisco Anyconnect Sbl
If connected to the VPN successfully you will notice the Disconnect button appear at the bottom right of the login screen. You should now be able to login to the computer as normal with full network connectivity, dependant on an ACL (DACL or VPN Filter) applied to the VPN session.
Troubleshooting
AnyConnect Client Downloads
Make sure the Local AnyConnect VPN Policy permits downloads of client, otherwise you will receive the following error “Automatic profile updates are disabled and the local VPN profile does not match the secure gateway VPN profile.”
If you receive this error run the AnyConnect Profile Editor – VPN Local Policy application
- Open the file C:ProgramDataCiscoCisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility ClientAnyConnectLocalPolicy.XML
- Untick the box Bypass Downloader
- Alternatively edit the same file in notepad an change to <BypassDownloader>false<BypassDownloader>
ASA Identity Certificate
You must ensure that the Windows client trusts the certificate presented to the client as part of the authentication process. If you receive a certificate error when connecting to the VPN normally, you will be unable to connect using SBL.
[SOLVED] How Do I Download The Cisco Anyconnect 4 SBL Module ...
If you attempt to connect to the VPN using SBL with an invalid certificate on the ASA or the Windows client does not trust the certificate you will receive the following error:- “AnyConnect cannot confirm it is connected to your secure gateway“. It does NOT present the option to Connect Anyway.
This post describes how to configure a CA Trustpoint on the ASA and install the identity certificate and root certificate.
After installing the certificate on the ASA, connect to the VPN and confirm you do not receive any certificate warnings before attempting to connect using SBL.
Machine Certificate
If the tunnel-group is configured to use certificate or aaa + certificates authentication, ensure the Windows computer has a Machine Certificate. Without a machine certificate you will receive the following error: – “No valid certificates available for authentication”.
Certificate Store
If the tunnel-group is configured to use certificate or aaa + certificates authentication, the AnyConnect Profile must be configured to check All Certificate Store (as mentioned in the previous configuration section) for SBL to work.
If you connect to the SBL and the AnyConnect client does not check the Machine Store, you will receive the error “Certificate Validation Failure“.