Windows Security Update "windows10.0-kb5044293-x64" on Windows 10 caused intermittent OPC communication Issue.

Question

I have been running an OPC UA Client application on Windows 10.

The application had no issues and was running successfully even after previous windows update

・windows10.0-kb5041576-x64

・windows10.0-kb5041773-x64

On installing windows10.0-kb5044293-x64, i am facing an intermittent OPC communication loss.

Based on Patch documentation, the improvement from Microsoft is as follows:

Improvements of windows10.0-kb5044293-x64 (Microsoft Documentation)

This security update includes quality improvements. Below is a summary of the key issues that this update addresses when you install this KB. If there are new features, it lists them as well. The bold text within the brackets indicates the item or area of the change we are documenting. 

• [Remote Desktop (known issue)] Fixed: Windows Servers might disrupt Remote Desktop connections across your company. This issue might occur if you use a legacy protocol in the Remote Desktop Gateway. An example protocol is Remote Procedure Call over HTTP. If the issue occurs, it is sporadic, like every 30 minutes. At that point, you lose sessions that you are signed in to. Then you must reconnect to the server. IT admins can track this as an end to the TSGateway service. It stops responding, with the exception code 0xc0000005.

Can this update impact on OPC Communication? Does it do any configuration update on system which can impact OPC Communication intermittently?

I can see error during endpoint callback, SecureChannel was closed Session was closed.

***moved from Windows / Windows 10 / Install and upgrade***

Answer 1

Hello Ritesh.kr.cs,

thank you for posting on the Microsoft Community Forums.

Based on the documentation you've provided, the Windows update KB5044293 addresses an issue with Remote Desktop connections, which could potentially interfere with network communication. Although the update specifically mentions Remote Desktop Gateway disruptions, it's conceivable that changes to network protocols or security settings could also affect other network-dependent applications, such as your OPC UA Client. Here are some potential areas to investigate:

1. Network Configuration and Firewall Settings: The update may have adjusted network or firewall settings, which could intermittently block or interfere with OPC UA communication. Check if there are any new rules or changes in your firewall settings.
2. Security Protocols and Certificates: OPC UA uses secure channels for communication, and updates might have altered security policies or handling of certificates. Ensure that the security settings and certificates used by your OPC UA Client and Server are still valid and correctly configured.
3. System Logs: Examine the Windows Event Viewer logs for any clues that might indicate why the SecureChannel or Session is being closed. Specifically, look at the Application and System logs around the time of the communication loss.
4. OPC UA Client and Server Logs: Similarly, check the logs of your OPC UA Client and Server for detailed error messages and timestamps that coincide with the communication loss. This might provide more insight into what is triggering the SecureChannel closure.
5. Network Stability: Ensure that your network is stable and not experiencing intermittent issues that could be causing the communication dropouts.

Here are some steps you can take to potentially resolve this issue:

• Rollback the Update: Temporarily uninstall the KB5044293 update to see if the issue persists. If the problem goes away, it confirms that the update is the cause.
• Update OPC UA Software: Ensure that your OPC UA Client and Server software are up-to-date. There might be patches or updates available that address compatibility issues with the latest Windows update.

Hope it helps.

Best regards,

Lei