Guidelines and Limitations for Secure Client AnyConnect on Apple iOS
AnyConnect for Apple iOS supports only features that are related to remote VPN access such as:
- AnyConnect can be configured by the user (manually), by the AnyConnect VPN Client Profile, generated by the Apple Configurator Utility ( http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise), or using an Enterprise Mobile Device Manager.
- The Apple iOS device supports no more than one AnyConnect VPN client profile. The contents of the generated configuration always match the most recent profile. For example, you connect to vpn.example1.com and then to vpn.example2.com. The AnyConnect VPN client profile imported from vpn.example2.com replaces the one imported from vpn.example1.com.
- This release supports the tunnel keepalive feature; however, it reduces battery life of the device. Increasing the update interval value mitigates this issue.
Apple iOS Connect On-Demand Considerations:
- VPN sessions, which are automatically connected as a result of iOS On-Demand logic and have Disconnect on Suspend configured, are disconnected when the device sleeps. After the device wakes up, On-Demand logic will reconnect the VPN session when it is necessary again.
- AnyConnect collects device information when the UI is launched and a VPN connection is initiated. Therefore, there are circumstances in which AnyConnect can misreport mobile posture information if the user relies on iOS Connect On-Demand feature to make a connection initially, or after device information, such as the OS version has changed.
- This only applies in your environment if you are running a Legacy AnyConnect release earlier than 4.0.05032, or an Apple iOS release earlier than 9.3 while using Apple Connect-on-Demand capabilities. To ensure proper establishment of Connect On-Demand VPN tunnels after updating AnyConnect, users must manually start the AnyConnect app and establish a connection. If this is not done, upon the next iOS system attempt to establish a VPN tunnel, the error message “The VPN Connection requires an application to start up” displays.
Cisco AnyConnect and Legacy AnyConnect are different apps with different app IDs. Hence:
- Using the new extension framework in AnyConnect 4.0.07x (and later) causes the following changes in behavior from legacy AnyConnect 4.0.05x: AnyConnect considers traffic for tunnel DNS server to be tunneled, even if it is not in split-include network.
- You cannot upgrade the AnyConnect app from a legacy 4.0.05x or earlier version to AnyConnect 4.0.07x or 4.6.x (or later). Cisco AnyConnect 4.0.07x (or 4.6.x and later) is a separate app, installed with a different name and icon.
- The different versions of AnyConnect can co-exist on the mobile device, but this is not supported by Cisco. The behavior may not be as expected if you attempt to connect while having both versions of AnyConnect installed. Make sure you have only one AnyConnect app on your device, and it is the appropriate version for your device and environment.
- Certificates imported using Legacy AnyConnect version 4.0.05069 and any earlier release cannot be accessed or used by the new AnyConnect app release 4.0.07072 or later. MDM deployed certificates can be accessed and used by both app versions.
- App data imported to the Legacy AnyConnect app, such as certificates and profiles, should be deleted if you are updating to the new version. Otherwise they will continue to show in the system VPN settings. Remove app data before uninstalling the Legacy AnyConnect app.
- Current MDM profiles will not trigger the new app. EMM vendors must support VPNType (VPN), VPNSubType (com.cisco.anyconnect) and ProviderType (packet-tunnel). For integration with ISE, they must be able to pass the UniqueIdentifier to AnyConnect since AnyConnect no longer has access to this in the new framework. Consult your EMM vendor for how to set this up; some may require a custom VPN type, and others may not have support available at release time.
Using the New Extension Framework in AnyConnect 4.0.07x and later causes the following changes in behavior from Legacy AnyConnect 4.0.05x:
- The Device ID sent to the head end is no longer the UDID in the new version, and it is different after a factory reset unless your device is restored from a backup made by the same device.
- You may use MDM deployed certificates, as well as certificates imported using one of the methods available in AnyConnect: SCEP, manually through the UI, or via the URI handler. The new version of AnyConnect can no longer use certificates imported via email or any other mechanism beyond these identified ones.
- When creating a connection entry using the UI, the user must accept the iOS security message displayed.
- A user-created entry with the same name as a downloaded host entry from the AnyConnect VPN profile will not be renamed until it disconnects, if it is active. Also, the downloaded host connection entry will appear in the UI after this disconnect, not while it remains connected.
- AnyConnect considers traffic for tunnel DNS server to be tunneled even if it is not in split-include network.