AnyConnect for Apple iOS Release Notes

AnyConnect for Apple iOS Mobile Devices

The AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client provides remote users with secure VPN connections to the Cisco ASA 5500 Series. It provides seamless and secure remote access to enterprise networks allowing installed applications to communicate as though connected directly to the enterprise network. AnyConnect supports connections to IPv4 and IPv6 resources over an IPv4 or IPv6 tunnel.

This document, written for system administrators of the AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client and the Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 5500, provides release specific information for AnyConnect running on Apple iOS devices.

The AnyConnect app is available on the Apple iTunes App Store only. Cisco does not distribute AnyConnect mobile apps. Nor can you deploy the mobile app from the ASA. You can deploy other releases of AnyConnect for desktop devices from the ASA while supporting this mobile release.

AnyConnect Mobile Support Policy

Cisco supports the AnyConnect version that is currently available in the app store; however, fixes and enhancements are provided only in the most recently released version.

AnyConnect Licensing

To connect to the ASA headend, an AnyConnect 4.x Plus or Apex license is required. Trial licenses are available: Cisco AnyConnect Ordering Guide.

For the latest end-user license agreement, see Cisco End User License Agreement, AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, Release 4.x.

For our open source licensing acknowledgments, see Open Source Software Used In Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Release 4.x for Mobile

Cisco AnyConnect Beta Testing with TestFlight

Beta builds of AnyConnect are made available for pre-release testing on TestFlight. Follow this link to participate in TestFlight testing: https://testflight.apple.com/join/N0QLSq2c.

You may opt out later using this same TestFlight link. After opting out, you will be required to uninstall the beta build and reinstall the latest non-beta version of AnyConnect.

Report issues found during beta testing promptly by sending email to Cisco at ac-mobile-feedback@cisco.com. The Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) does not address issues found in Beta versions of AnyConnect.

AnyConnect Versions Available for Apple iOS

Cisco AnyConnect for Apple iOS is currently available in multiple versions:

  • Cisco AnyConnect

    Cisco AnyConnect 4.8 is the latest and recommended version available for Apple iOS. To ensure you are always receiving the latest Apple iOS bug fixes, upgrade to the latest version.

    We recommend using this version with Apple iOS 10.3 and later. It uses the New Extension Framework, provided by iOS, to implement VPN and all its features. Per App VPN tunneling is a fully supported feature, and the New Extension Framework allows support of both TCP and UDP applications. Moving forward, this new Cisco AnyConnect version will be the only one to contain all enhancements and bug fixes.

  • Cisco Legacy AnyConnect

    Legacy AnyConnect 4.0.05x is not supported on iOS beyond 11.x. For compatibility with later versions of iOS, install the latest AnyConnect application available in the App Store.

    Legacy AnyConnect is the version supporting Apple iOS 6.0 and later that has been available on the app store for some time now. This version will be phased out over time but currently remains available to ease the transition to the latest and recommended version.

    The Per App VPN tunneling feature in this Legacy AnyConnect app will not receive TAC support. Customers wanting to use Per App VPN should migrate to the new version.

    Legacy AnyConnect will only be updated for critical security issues. This release continues to be numbered 4.0.05x.

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.

Apple iOS Supported Devices

Cisco AnyConnect 4.8 is the latest and recommended version available on all iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices running Apple iOS 10.3 and later.

If a device does not support Apple iOS 10.3 or later, only Legacy AnyConnect 4.0.05x , available on all iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices running Apple iOS 6.0 and later, can be used. Per App tunneling in Legacy AnyConnect requires Apple iOS 8.3 or later.


Note

AnyConnect on the iPod Touch appears and operates as on the iPhone.


Upgrade AnyConnect on Apple iOS

Upgrades to AnyConnect are managed through the Apple App Store. After the Apple App Store notifies users that the Cisco AnyConnect or Legacy AnyConnect upgrade is available, they follow this procedure.


Note

You cannot upgrade the AnyConnect app from a legacy 4.0.05x or earlier version to AnyConnect 4.0.07x or 4.6.x and later. They are separate apps, installed with a different name and icon.

See AnyConnect Versions Available for Apple iOS before installing the new version. Cisco recommends you remove all Legacy AnyConnect app data, remove the Legacy AnyConnect app, and then install the new version.


Before you begin

Before upgrading your device, you must disconnect an AnyConnect VPN session, if one is established, and close the AnyConnect application, if it is open. If you fail to do this, AnyConnect requires a reboot of your device before using the new version of AnyConnect.


Note

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.


Procedure


Step 1

Tap the App Store icon on the iOS home page.

Step 2

Tap the AnyConnect upgrade notice.

Step 3

Read about the new features.

Step 4

Click Update.

Step 5

Enter your Apple ID Password.

Step 6

Tap OK.

The AnyConnect update proceeds.


New Features

New Features in AnyConnect 4.8.03060 for Apple iOS Mobile Devices

This release of AnyConnect resolves the defects described in Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.03060 for Apple iOS :

CSCvs82209—Because Apple changed the support of biometric authentication starting in iOS 13.3.1, the AnyConnect network extension could not use those certificates imported via SCEP with biometric protection enabled. To fix, the user now has to manually start the VPN connection within the AnyConnect application and disable biometric protection in the OnDemand or per-app VPN connection.

Cisco recommends that you upgrade to this release of AnyConnect if your device supports iOS 10 or later, and review the Guidelines and Limitations for AnyConnect on Apple iOS and the Known Compatibility Issues to be aware of current operational considerations.

New Features in AnyConnect 4.8.02046 for Apple iOS Mobile Devices

This release of AnyConnect resolves the defects described in Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.02046 for Apple iOS :

CSCvs45323: Created a provision to remove MDM-installed DeviceID—You are required to open the AnyConnect app after the device is removed from management by MDM/EMM.

New Features in AnyConnect 4.8.00825 for Apple iOS Mobile Devices

This release of AnyConnect provides the following new capabilities and resolves the defects described in Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.00825 for Apple iOS.

  • iOS 13 / iPadOS 13 support

  • Dark mode support

New Features in AnyConnect 4.8.00801 for Apple iOS Mobile Devices

This release of AnyConnect provides the following new capabilities and resolves the defects described in Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.00801 for Apple iOS:

  • Siri support—Go to System Settings > Siri and Search and choose enable all under Siri Suggestions. After a successful VPN connection with VPN configurations installed, a Siri suggestion shortcut is added to the widget screen with Start VPN as the title and Connect VPN to <VPN configuration name> as a subtitle. Alternatively, for those VPN connections requiring user interaction, the Siri suggestion shortcut is Connect to <VPN configuration name> as title and Launch AnyConnect to make connection as a subtitle. The shortcut is added only upon user action. If a user initiates a VPN disconnect, a Stop VPN Siri suggestion shortcut is added.

    To make the AnyConnect shortcut available for Siri with voice, click the + button.

  • SAML + Client Certificate—Within AnyConnect SAML flow, we added support for Client Certificate requests within the AnyConnect embedded browser

Apple iOS AnyConnect Feature Matrix

The following features are supported in AnyConnect for Apple iOS devices:
Category: Feature Apple iOS

Deployment and Configuration:

Install or upgrade from application store. Yes
Cisco VPN Profile support (manual import) Yes
Cisco VPN Profile support (import on connect) Yes
MDM configured connection entries Yes
User-configured connection entries Yes

Tunneling:

TLS Yes
Datagram TLS (DTLS) Yes
IPsec IKEv2 NAT-T Yes
IKEv2 - raw ESP No
Suite B (IPsec only) Yes
TLS compression Yes, 32-bit devices only
Dead peer detection Yes
Tunnel keepalive Yes
Multiple active network interfaces No
Per App Tunneling Yes, requires Cisco AnyConnect 4.0.09xxx and iOS 10.3 or later.
Full tunnel (OS may make exceptions on some traffic, such as traffic to the app store). Yes
Split tunnel (split include). Yes
Local LAN (split exclude).* Yes
Split-DNS Yes
Auto Reconnect / Network Roaming Yes
VPN on-demand (triggered by destination) Yes, compatible with Apple iOS Connect on Demand.
VPN on-demand (triggered by application) Yes, when operating in Per App VPN mode only.
Rekey Yes
IPv4 public transport Yes
IPv6 public transport Yes
IPv4 over IPv4 tunnel Yes
IPv6 over IPv4 tunnel Yes
IPv6 over IPv4 tunnel Yes
IPv6 over IPv6 tunnel Yes
Default domain Yes
DNS server configuration Yes
Private-side proxy support Yes
Proxy Exceptions Yes, but wildcard specifications not supported
Public-side proxy support No
Pre-login banner Yes
Post-login banner Yes
DSCP Preservation No

Connecting and Disconnecting:

VPN load balancing Yes
Backup server list Yes
Optimal Gateway Selection No

Authentication:

SAML 2.0 Yes
Client Certificate Authentication Yes
Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) No
Manual user certificate management Yes
Manual server certificate management Yes
SCEP legacy enrollment No
SCEP proxy enrollment Yes
Automatic certificate selection Yes
Manual certificate selection Yes
Smart card support No
Username and password Yes
Tokens/challenge Yes
Double authentication Yes
Group URL (specified in server address) Yes
Group selection (drop-down selection) Yes
Credential prefill from user certificate Yes
Save password No

User interface:

Standalone GUI Yes
Native OS GUI Yes, limited functions
API / URI Handler (see below) Yes
UI customization No
UI localization Yes, app contains pre-packaged languages.
User preferences Yes
Home screen widgets for one-click VPN access No
AnyConnect specific status icon No

Mobile Posture: (AnyConnect Identity Extensions, ACIDex)

Serial number or unique ID check Yes
OS and AnyConnect version shared with headend Yes

AnyConnect NVM support

No

URI Handling:

Add connection entry Yes
Connect to a VPN Yes
Credential pre-fill on connect Yes
Disconnect VPN Yes
Import certificate Yes
Import localization data Yes
Import XML client profile Yes
External (user) control of URI commands Yes

Reporting and Troubleshooting:

Statistics Yes
Logging / Diagnostic Information (DART) Yes

Certifications:

FIPS 140-2 Level 1 Yes

* Local LAN access is enabled for iOS devices regardless of the configuration of the ASA due to operating system implementation.

Adaptive Security Appliance Requirements

A minimum release of the ASA is required for the following features:


Note

Refer to the feature matrix for your platform to verify the availability of these features in the current AnyConnect mobile release.


  • You must upgrade to ASA 9.7.1.24, 9.8.2.28, 9.9.2.1 or later to use the SAML authentication feature. Make sure that both the client and server versions are up-to-date.

  • You must upgrade to ASA 9.3.2 or later to use TLS 1.2.

  • You must upgrade to ASA 9.3.2 or later to use Per App VPN tunneling mode.

  • You must upgrade to ASA 9.0 to use the following mobile features:

    • IPsec IKEv2 VPN

    • Suite B cryptography

    • SCEP Proxy

    • Mobile Posture

  • ASA Release 8.0(3) and Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) 6.1(3) are the minimum releases that support AnyConnect for mobile devices.

Other Cisco Headend Support

AnyConnect SSL connectivity is supported on Cisco IOS 15.3(3)M+/15.2(4)M+.

AnyConnect IKEv2 connectivity is supported on Cisco ISR g2 15.2(4)M+

AnyConnect SSL and IKEv2 is supported on Cisco Firepower Threat Defense, release 6.2.1 and later.

Guidelines and Limitations for AnyConnect on Apple iOS

  • (iOS 14.0.x only)—When tunnel DNS servers are configured without a split DNS domain name specified, failure to resolve an address with the tunnel DNS servers does not result in a fallback to the device's public DNS servers. Changes in iOS caused this different behavior.

  • (iOS 14.0.x only) CSCvv50495—After a network change, a transition from one network to another, or a network pause and resume, traffic stops. You can disable and re-enable your VPN connection to resume. This issue is fixed in iOS 14.1.

  • CSCvs82209—While accessing client certificates that are imported via SCEP and that require biometrics for access, a "no valid certificate found" error results on iOS 13.3.1 and later. iOS 13.3.1 removed the ability for the AnyConnect Network Extension to use SCEP-imported certificates that have the security property requiring biometrics (TouchID / FaceID / passcode) for access. Until the client can be redesigned to accommodate this change, deploy certificates using SCEP without the biometric option.

  • AnyConnect can be configured by the user (manually), by the AnyConnect VPN Client Profile, generated by the iPhone Configuration 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, if 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.

  • DHE Incompatibility

    With the introduction of DHE cipher support in AnyConnect release 4.6, incompatibility issues result in ASA versions before ASA 9.2. If you are using DHE ciphers with ASA releases earlier than 9.2, you must disable DHE ciphers on those ASA versions.

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’s Connect On-Demand feature to make a connection initially, or after device information, such has the OS version has changed.

  • 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, the error message “The VPN Connection requires an application to start up” displays, upon the next iOS system attempt to establish a VPN tunnel.

Cisco AnyConnect and Legacy AnyConnect are different apps with different app IDs. Hence:

  • You cannot upgrade the AnyConnect app from a legacy 4.0.05x or earlier version to the new version. The newer versions are separate apps, 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 4.6.x 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.

Known Compatibility Issues

In AnyConnect 4.7.xxxxx and later

  • Split tunneling to the ASA headend does not work when tunneling IPv6 only (no IPv4 address assigned) in a split exclude configuration.

    All traffic should be tunneled except for the exclude list entries, yet the split exclude list is not honored, and all IPv6 traffic is excluded. Refer to CSCvb80768: IPv6 Split Exclude & IPv4 DropAll will exclude all v6 traffic from the tunnel. (RADAR 29623849).

  • If the AnyConnect UI remains open and iOS mistakenly disconnects the Inter-Process Communication (IPC) between the UI and the internal AnyConnect extension, any UI activity fails with an error or an incorrect response.

    To recover from this, you must close and restart the AnyConnect UI which will re-establish the IPC. If the unexpected IPC disconnect occurs when the UI is closed, the next time you open the UI, it will be re-established. Refer to CSCvb95722: Fails to get to Paused state (RADAR 29313229).

  • For On Demand connections, the AnyConnect UI must be opened when an updated VPN connection profile has been pushed to the client by the ASA. If the UI is not opened, the updated profile will not be synchronized and therefore the changes will not be used.

    Unfortunately, there is no indication to the user to open the UI to sync the new profile (as in Legacy AnyConnect), so it is possible that the updated connection entry is never used. There is no workaround at this time. Refer to CSCvc35923: Using On-Demand AC cannot inform users that they must open AC to sync an updated connection profile (RADAR 30173053).

  • In a managed Per App configuration, app traffic, configured for Per App, flows over a user-created (unmanaged) VPN connection when it should not.

    Refer to CSCvc36024: PerApp - Apps can pass traffic over non-PAV full tunnel (RADAR 29513803).

Open and Resolved AnyConnect Issues

The Cisco Bug Search Tool, https://tools.cisco.com/bugsearch/, has detailed information about the following open and resolved issues in this release. A Cisco account is required to access the Bug Search Tool. If you do not have one, register at https://tools.cisco.com/RPF/register/register.do.

Note that some cross platform bugs defined in the desktop release notes (https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/vpn_client/anyconnect/anyconnect410/release/notes/release-notes-anyconnect-4-10.html) may apply to the mobile releases. Once a bug has been reported as fixed, it becomes available on all operating system platforms (including mobile operating systems) with a higher AnyConnect release number. Those bugs with vpn, core, nvm, and similar components that apply across platform will not be duplicated in the subsequent mobile releases. For example, a vpn component bug resolved in desktop release 4.9.00086 will not be listed again in iOS release 4.9.00512 because the iOS version is greater than the release version where the bug was reported as fixed.

Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.03060 for Apple iOS

Identifier Headline

CSCvs82209

AnyConnect cannot access imported SCEP certificates requiring biometrics for access

CSCvu23063

iOS MDM configuration profiles with no identity cannot use certificate authentication

Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.03038 for Apple iOS

Identifier Headline

CSCvt29804

AnyConnect app reports an error when the VPN connection established via URI handling

CSCvt52941

AnyConnect iOS crashes occasionally on disconnect

Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.02050 for Apple iOS

Identifier Headline

CSCvt01566

AnyConnect iOS crashes occasionally on reconnect

CSCvt10061

AnyConnect iOS crashes occasionally when device sleeps prior to tunnel start

Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.02046 for Apple iOS

Identifier Headline

CSCvs45323

No provision to remove MDM-installed DeviceID

CSCvs61146

ASA sends malformed RADIUS message when Device from AnyConnect is too long

CSCvs89946

iOS AnyConnect 4.8.02039 fails to operate in FIPS mode

Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.01097 for Apple iOS

Identifier Headline

CSCvr70877

Cannot create IPsec VPN config with IKE identity

CSCvr76642

Accessibility large text setting prevents entering login credentials

CSCvr98568

DAP popup msg fails to display when rejecting connection attempt

Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.00825 for Apple iOS

Identifier Headline

CSCvr20908

CSCvr20908AnyConnect iOS pausing network does not give network not available indication

Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.00807 for Apple iOS

Identifier Headline

CSCvq65215

Per-app VPN connection not preventing packets from going out public interface

CSCvq72382

The connection timer causes the user initiated VPN tunnel to be disconnected

CSCvq76846

AnyConnect iOS URI handling is crashing if active configuration is for another app

CSCvq76853

AnyConnect iOS URI handling processes onsuccess=anyconnect:close after app reentry

CSCvq91318

Applying DTLS OMTU adjustment causes reconnect loop if an existing adjustment is present

Resolved Issues in AnyConnect 4.8.00801 for Apple iOS

Identifier Headline

CSCvh98707

AnyConnect iOS App fails during authentication when the user switches to other screen

CSCvp77299

Cannot contain MDM provisioned device ID if it's greater than a certain length

CSCvp97056

VPN stuck in Reconnecting state after left an extended time

CSCvq07499

iOS SAML with MS Azure fails due to CertRequest though cert-auth is disabled on server

CSCvq09161

AnyConnect DTLS MTU renegotiation on reconnect