Windows 11 KB5026372 is causing a lot of issues, how to fix it

Windows 11 KB5026372 cumulative update is causing many issues for users, including Blue Screen of Death errors and broken VPN connections.

For those unaware, this is a mandatory cumulative update for Windows 11 version 22H2, released last year. It comes with some nifty improvements, such as support for the Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection security feature and resolving a race condition in LAPS.

While it sounds like a pretty good update on paper, KB5026372 is causing some user issues, according to our forums and Reddit reports. For example, some have highlighted problems with VPN connections, particularly L2TP/IPsec VPN. Businesses generally use L2TP to enable VPNs for their clients, and it relies on an encryption protocol.

Some have experienced a drastic decrease in download and upload speeds, while others faced difficulties downloading files from sftp over L2TP/IPsec VPN.

Users told us they tried various solutions, like reinstalling WAN, flushing DNS, disabling IPv6, and disabling the Windows Firewall, but none seemed to resolve the problem.

Another user reported that the update caused BitLocker to activate, and they were subsequently trapped in an automatic repair loop, potentially requiring a complete system wipe and Windows reinstall. A few users have also encountered issues with Windows automatically shutting down instead of restarting after installing the updates.

These problems have left many users frustrated and seeking solutions, raising concerns about the stability and reliability of Microsoft’s latest update.

KB5026372 issues in Windows 11

In addition to the VPN connection issues previously reported, the broken grey and black boxes are back in Windows Security.

For those unaware, a Windows Defender update broke the Windows Security app in March, and Microsoft rolled out a fix in April. While the April update fixed the Windows Security app, May 2023’s Patch Tuesday has brought back the same problem.

Furthermore, TPM detection and core isolation settings remain broken, as they have been for months. This means some of you may see an error message showing “Local Security authority protection is off. Your device may be vulnerable”. If you run into Windows Security warnings, try following these steps:

1. Open the Registry Editor (RegEdit.exe).
2. Navigate to the registry key (lsa): HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa.
3. Set the value of the registry key “Lsa” to “RunAsPPL” =dword:00000001”. This will configure the LSA feature with a UEFI variable. On Windows 11 22H2, use “RunAsPPL” =dword:00000002 instead, configuring the feature without a UEFI variable.
4. Restart the computer.

This won’t remove the warning but will enable the LSA feature, and you can ignore warnings in Windows Security. If you want to get rid of the error message, try these steps instead:

• Open Registry Editor and go to the same directory, but create a new entry “RunAsPPLBoot” =dword:00000001 and save the changes.
• Restart.

Users have flagged installation and other problems with the May 2023 update on Feedback Hub. For example, one user noted, “For the third month in a row, the monthly Cumulative Update, this time (2023-05) KB5026372, is failing with an error”.

“The system has been checked, all Windows files intact, including both command line functions to check for errors–none were found. In addition, I have also deleted Software Distribution and the standalone installer from the catalog,” another user noted.

The search bar does not work in Windows Task Manager.

In our tests, we also encountered a bug in Task Manager, where Chrome or Edge appears when searching for other apps like Roblox and Kaspersky. This bug affects Windows 11 22H2 installations only. The performance of the Feedback Hub has also been disappointing, with the app running exceptionally slowly.

Microsoft has not acknowledged the issues yet. However, users can remove the problematic update and pause future updates to fix the problem.

To uninstall the update, follow these steps:

• Select Start > Settings > Windows Update.
• Click on Update history > Uninstall updates.
• Look for the update with the KB number and uninstall it.
• By following these steps, you can revert to the previous version and avoid the issues caused by the update.

It is worth noting that only the VPN issue appears widespread, and other problems do not affect most users.

Windows 11 May 2023 Update has a lot of improvements, such as support for seconds in the taskbar clock and more. Another significant change in the update is support for a toggle under Settings > Windows Update page that gives you early access to feature updates.

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